Search results

This study integrates the spiral of silence (SoS) theory and theory of planned behavior (TPB) by examining Facebook users' opinion expression avoidance, the reactions to dissenting views without revealing one's true opinion, in the context of political discussions. The present integrative approach provides a more comprehensive framework that expands our understanding of online opinion expression and withdrawal.

A cross-sectional online survey was employed, which rendered 348 valid responses from US college students (61.5% female; average age 19.11) recruited from a northeastern university.

The results categorized two sets of opinion avoidance strategies from six Facebook features. The intention to adopt “proactive avoidance strategies” (filtering out unwanted information) is positively related to descriptive norms and perceived self-efficacy, but negatively related to fear of isolation and perceived control of the urge to debate. Regarding the intention to employ “reactive avoidance strategies” (less obtrusive articulations), fear of isolation and attitudes toward opinion expression avoidance are positive determinants, whereas perceived control of the urge to debate again exerts a negative influence.

This study examines the growing variety of features that users adopt to avoid expressing their true opinion in reacting to dissenting views, updating our understanding of opinion circumvention in social media environment. As one of the few theoretically driven empirical investigations of SoS theory and TPB, the findings not only elucidate the significance of perceived behavioral control as the common ground in association with user adoption intention but also identify distinct qualities of the two sets of strategies that affect the likelihood of adoption. That is, proactive avoidance is more susceptible to normative influences, while reactive avoidance reflects user attitude and belief. This theoretical integration also helps identify diverse levels of intentions to strategically avoid opinion expression influenced by fear of isolation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the public relied heavily on digital media to stay tuned for the latest update. Media preference could increase risk perceptions, although the influence of diverse media exposure remains unknown. Based on protection motivation theory, this study aims to investigate how digital media exposure diversity and information verification influence vaccination intention.

Analyzing survey data from 837 respondents in China, this study examined the effects of digital media exposure on information verification, including their influences on the threat appraisal, coping appraisal, vaccine misinformation beliefs, subjective norms and trust in vaccines.

Results indicate that diversity of digital media exposure increased threat appraisal (perceived severity) and coping appraisal (response efficacy and self-efficacy), while information verification increased only coping appraisal (response efficacy and self-efficacy). In addition, diversity of digital media exposure decreased vaccine misinformation beliefs. Furthermore, digital media exposure and information verification were linked to vaccination intention via the mediations of response efficacy, subjective norms and trust in vaccines.

This study is the first of its kind to investigate media exposure diversity in the context of vaccination and health crises. Our findings extended the PMT framework by exploring proactive information-related behaviors as antecedents of mediation processes. In addition, we examined misinformation beliefs, social norms and trust as societal influences. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

In 2010 and 2013, the libraries in the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL) were surveyed to identify benchmarks and programs to support resource sharing. Benchmarks and challenges identified generate discussions regarding programming, networking, and other support to improve resource sharing operations. This paper seeks to address these issues.

This study compares and contrasts the two surveys using mixed methods data analysis. This study assesses ILL performance and explores the challenges and trends interlibrary loan practitioners see today.

The article identifies changes and trends in consortia-wide transaction volumes; staffing levels; campus document delivery; professional issues and challenges; and library organizational schemes.

The study did not include data from constituencies outside of interlibrary loan. It also did not include interview follow-ups with survey participants to discuss challenges and reorganizations in greater detail. Future interlibrary loan research could focus less on operational metrics and more on broader issues such as e-resources and change management. Mixed methods are effect tools for benchmarking and comparative case studies.

Individual libraries can compare themselves to the operational benchmarks and use insights drawn from comment analysis to stimulate conversations regarding current and future roles for interlibrary loan. Consortia can duplicate the study to understand their operational benchmarks and their particular contexts.

The study provides comparative benchmarks for research libraries and consortia spanning three years. It demonstrates substantial shifts in issues faced by libraries and librarians.

President Obama embraced social media and remains one of the most followed persons on Twitter. The focus of this study is twofold: to assess how the President’s use of Twitter affected (a) Millennials’ perception of Obama and (b) Millennials’ interest and likelihood to participate in the political process. Study findings provide support for a model derived from information processing theory. Results also suggest that message orientation (or perceived favorability) predicted source credibility, which stems from message content as well as the Twitter medium by which the message was delivered. Implications for study findings – including optimal strategies for cultivating a social media presence – are discussed.

Intense sweeteners are food additives which are used in many foods and drinks to replace some or all conventional carbohydrate sweeteners such as sucrose and glucose. Because they are hundreds or even thousands of times more sweet than these sugars, only very small amounts are needed to achieve the same level of sweetness. Although some intense sweeteners are metabolised and provide calories to the consumer, the fact that they are used in such small amounts means that they make a negligible contribution to the total energy value of the food itself. They can therefore provide substantial calorie savings compared with conventional foods sweetened with sugars. This property has resulted in the development of important markets for ‘diet’ (‘low calorie’) and ‘reduced calorie’ foods and drinks.

International interlibrary loan remains a persistent and sometimes vexing topic in US libraries. Technology's advance allows libraries and library users to easily identify resources from across the globe. This ease of discovery belies the difficulty of delivery. To contribute to the conversation, the ALA RUSA STARS International Interlibrary Loan Committee conducted a survey of US libraries regarding international interlibrary loan activity. The survey uncovered elements impacting ILL success and failure and identified opportunities for US academic libraries global ILL participation. Issues that concern the survey's participants included communications, copyright, customs, payment methods, shipping, and language barriers. US interlibrary loan librarians seek cooperative responses to these problems. This paper seeks to address this issue.

This paper discusses the current climate of international interlibrary loan from a US perspective and highlights efforts to use STARS survey results to inform international ILL programs and best practices.

To expand international interlending, STARS can build on today's extra‐OCLC resource sharing strategies and leverage survey results to focus programming and promotional efforts. At the same time, librarians must improve communications and foster international resource sharing communities which contributes to the international dialog essential for interlending success.

The paper presents a new initiative from the major professional association for North American librarians dedicated to resource sharing.

A review of the food safety implications of crops contaminated by mycotoxins. Each of the most important mycotoxins, aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, and patulin, are described individually with details of national and international safety evaluations and the UK’s controls to protect consumer safety. The state of play of EC proposals to harmonise national laws on mycotoxins is also described. Consumer perceptions of risk from these natural toxicants are assessed. Mycotoxins present a potential threat to consumer safety. Continued vigilance is necessary to ensure that regulatory and advisory limits are complied with. MAFF surveys regularly check the foods most at risk of contamination and where a problem is unearthed, consumers and industry are alerted as soon as possible through rapid publication procedures. Subsequent monitoring of the situation ensures that effective action is taken to protect consumer safety.

Summarizes the UK′s food chemical surveillance programme. This programme is an extensive series of checks, tests and analyses (approximately 130,000 per annum) designed to monitor the safety and quality of the UK′s food supply. The paper describes the scale of the programme and its management through the Steering Group on Chemical Aspects of Food Surveillance (SGCAFS) and its 11 working parties‐which cover the wide range of food surveillance activities including chemical contaminants, natural toxicants, nutrition, food additives, radionuclides and authenticity. Although the programme′s results are generally reassuring, important information is produced on emerging potential problems. Provides examples where this surveillance has enabled these potential problems to be identified and appropriate remedial action taken. Describes the extensive publication of surveillance data through the Food Surveillance Paper series (HMSO) and reports on the recent Ministerial decision for the rapid publication of the most important food surveillance data.