The tourism industry in the United States is constantly changing and being influenced by social media, specifically Instagram. Culinary brands use Instagram to advertise their restaurants and dishes in a creative, visual way. As a result, Instagram is now being used as a tool by tourists and both potential and current customers to share their dining experiences and find these locations based on the visual appeal. This study provides a content analysis of Instagram account information and photo composition within eight popular culinary tourism destinations by examining the strategies used by the accounts. 50 randomly selected photos were used from eight popular culinary tourism locations. Framing, Uses and Gratifications, and Diffusion of Innovation theories were the theoretical framework for the study. The results of this study indicated key characteristics of some of the most popular culinary tourism destinations on Instagram.

In times of the pandemic, Facebook has become a virtual space that through e.g.“coronavirus support groups” (Harris, 2020), partially substitutes social interactions and allows its users to better cope with the isolation and social distancing. A public Facebook group “Lappis” established in 2006 is a space facilitating communication for the local community of the biggest student housing in Stockholm “Stora Lappkärrsberget”. Since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, Covid-related postings started to emerge in the group’s forum. The study examines Covid-related content in order to define the function of the group through describing the forms of communication around the pandemic, i.e. the themes, the scope and the ways the content is conveyed. In doing so, the model combining the uses and gratifications theory and the theory of affordances is applied, allowing to investigate the motivations and interactivity of the members through Facebook group affordances. In order to encompass the puzzle from multiple angles, an adaptive approach of mixed methods is used by combining: qualitative content analysis and survey. Key finding of the research is that the Covid-related content is a minor part of the content shared in the group, yet that it provokes extensive discussions among the members with both “aggressive” and “unaggressive” responses. Furthermore, it is argued that the group has potential to be a coronavirus support group (Harris, 2020) and a substitute for interpersonal communication (Papacharissi & Mendelson, 2011). Finally, the study identifies possibilities for future research in the further examination of local Facebook groups in the context of pandemic, in order to map the possible changes in Facebook affordances that would lead to higher reliability of those groups as spaces for sharing Covid-related content.

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Spelet Allsvenskan Fantasy studeras för att undersöka hur spelare motiveras och upprätthåller motivation över tid. Studien utgår ifrån modellen Motivational Technology Model som bygger på Uses and Gratifications Theory och Self-Determination Theory. Tio semistrukturerade intervjuer utförs med syftet att identifiera hur spelare motiveras att spela Allsvenskan Fantasy. En tematisk analys utförs på datan från intervjuerna och sex teman identifieras:  -  Spelet spelas utanför spelet -  Spelaren blir en aktör, får agens genom att använda sin kunskap -  Social interaktion förhöjer spelupplevelsen -  Verkligheten som extra spelnivå -  Spelet är anpassningsbart -  Spelarna är självgående men behöver varandra  Dessa sex teman diskuteras utifrån det teoretiska ramverket med fokus på spelets affordanser, och grundläggande psykologiska behov för inre motivation hos spelarna. / The game Allsvenskan Fantasy is researched to investigate how players are motivated and uphold their motivation over time. The study makes use of the Motivational Technology Model which is based upon Uses and Gratifications Theory and Self-Determination Theory. Ten semi-structured interviews are conducted with the aim to identify how players are motivated to play Allsvenskan Fantasy. A thematic analysis is applied to the data from the interviews and six themes are identified:  -  The game is played outside of the game -  The player becomes an actor, receives agency by using their knowledge -  Social interaction enhances the game experience -  Reality gives an extra level of the game -  The game is adaptable -  The players are self-propelled but need each other  These six themes are discussed by using the theoretical framework with focus on the affordances of the game and the basic psychological needs for intrinsic motivation among the players.

The diploma thesis focuses on motivations for watching beauty videos on YouTube. The aim is to clarify why viewers watch amateur videos that communicate topics related to physical appearance. Assuming the audience as an active actor of media communication the thesis is based on uses and gratification theory. Viewers watch beauty videos consciously to meet their individual needs. Based on an analysis of eleven interviews with regular viewers of beauty videos this thesis reveals five categories of motivation. Beauty videos represent the source of information, the source of entertainment, the platform for communication with individuals with shared theme of interest and the tool for self-education. These motivations are not specific for this specific type of media and can motivate viewers to watch amateur beauty videos and professional beauty shows equally. The key motivation for watching beauty videos on YouTube is the interest of videobloggers. Authors of beauty videos disclose parts of their privacy, show their imperfections and interact with their audience. Using these practices videobloggers evoke the illusion of a close relationship between them and their viewers. Viewers have the opportunity the create strong social ties to videobloggers.

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Ce mémoire examine l'adoption des téléphones mobiles et l'utilisation des messages texte (SMS) par les adolescents chinois, selon la théorie des usages et gratifications et de la recherche sur la communication par ordinateur. Certains champs particuliers de l'utilisation des messages textes par les adolescents chinois, comme le contrôle parental, la circulation des chaînes de messages, la popularité des messages de salutations et l'utilisation répandue des émoticônes ont été étudiés. La fonction sociale des SMS, plus particulièrement des pratiques sociales et des relations émotionnelles des adolescents chinois, a également été explorée. Cette étude est basée sur un sondage réalisé sur le terrain auprès de 100 adolescents chinois. Elle révèle que chez les adolescents chinois, les deux principales raisons pour l'adoption du téléphone mobile sont l'influence parentale et le besoin de communication sociale. Quant à l'utilisation des messages texte, elle répond à sept usages et gratifications : la flexibilité, le coût modique, l’intimité, éviter l'embarras, le divertissement, l'engouement et l'évasion. Il a également été observé que les messages texte jouent un rôle positif dans la construction et l'entretien des relations sociales des adolescents chinois. / This thesis examined the adoption of mobile phones and use of SMS among Chinese teenagers based on the uses and gratification theory and computer-mediated communication research. Specific areas of Chinese teenagers’ SMS use, such as parental control, the circulation of chain messages, the popularity of greeting messages and the wide use of emoticons were studied. The social functions of SMS, especially in Chinese teenagers’ social-emotional practice, were explored as well. This study is based on a field survey conducted among one hundred Chinese teenagers. It reveals that, for Chinese teenagers, the two main reasons for the adoption of mobile phones are parental influence and the need for social communication; the use of SMS corresponds to seven uses and gratifications: flexibility, low cost, privacy, embarrassment avoidance, entertainment, fad and escape. SMS is also used by Chinese teenagers to build and maintain their social relationships.

Ce mémoire examine l'adoption des téléphones mobiles et l'utilisation des messages texte (SMS) par les adolescents chinois, selon la théorie des usages et gratifications et de la recherche sur la communication par ordinateur. Certains champs particuliers de l'utilisation des messages textes par les adolescents chinois, comme le contrôle parental, la circulation des chaînes de messages, la popularité des messages de salutations et l'utilisation répandue des émoticônes ont été étudiés. La fonction sociale des SMS, plus particulièrement des pratiques sociales et des relations émotionnelles des adolescents chinois, a également été explorée. Cette étude est basée sur un sondage réalisé sur le terrain auprès de 100 adolescents chinois. Elle révèle que chez les adolescents chinois, les deux principales raisons pour l'adoption du téléphone mobile sont l'influence parentale et le besoin de communication sociale. Quant à l'utilisation des messages texte, elle répond à sept usages et gratifications : la flexibilité, le coût modique, l’intimité, éviter l'embarras, le divertissement, l'engouement et l'évasion. Il a également été observé que les messages texte jouent un rôle positif dans la construction et l'entretien des relations sociales des adolescents chinois. / This thesis examined the adoption of mobile phones and use of SMS among Chinese teenagers based on the uses and gratification theory and computer-mediated communication research. Specific areas of Chinese teenagers’ SMS use, such as parental control, the circulation of chain messages, the popularity of greeting messages and the wide use of emoticons were studied. The social functions of SMS, especially in Chinese teenagers’ social-emotional practice, were explored as well. This study is based on a field survey conducted among one hundred Chinese teenagers. It reveals that, for Chinese teenagers, the two main reasons for the adoption of mobile phones are parental influence and the need for social communication; the use of SMS corresponds to seven uses and gratifications: flexibility, low cost, privacy, embarrassment avoidance, entertainment, fad and escape. SMS is also used by Chinese teenagers to build and maintain their social relationships.

This thesis focuses on self-tracking, which mean monitoring and recording information about oneself using digital technologies and its use by runners in the Czech Republic. The main aim of this thesis is to describe the Czech running community through a detailed sociological analysis, and to answer a question: Why runners use self-tracking and how they benefit from it? The theoretical part firstly deals with the topic of self-tracking itself, then examines the uses and gratifications theory and the theory of online communities. The analytical part is devoted to description, analysis and interpretation of the results of the author's own survey, in which 844 runners of whom 754 practice self-tracking participated. Several hypotheses concerning sociodemographic structure, running characteristics, motivation, gratifications and safety were formulated. Five key motives (self-control, orientation to result, self-improvement, habit and social interaction) that lead runners to use self-tracking devices were identified through exploratory factor analysis. The motives vary based on gender and running characteristics (experience with running, runner's level, frequency of running, trainer) that also represent the main influencing factor for self-tracking in general. Self-tracking is closely related to sharing...

This research examined lecturers’ perspectives on the academic use of Facebook, specifically for teaching, in a higher education institution in Gauteng, South Africa. A survey research design was followed, and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The study sought to fill the gap in the Social Networking Sites literature by focusing on lecturers’ perspectives, ascertaining how lecturers use Facebook as an academic teaching tool and determining the advantages and disadvantages thereof, and attempting to add to the debate on whether or not higher education settings could add the use of Facebook to their range of practices that may enhance teaching. The sample comprised fourteen respondents. It has emerged that lecturers are not, for the most part, utilising Facebook as an academic teaching tool. Based on the findings, a framework on how lecturers could integrate Facebook into academia is proposed. / Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)