Background This study investigates the complex interaction between individuals' culinary tastes, ... more Background This study investigates the complex interaction between individuals' culinary tastes, at-home dining habits, and their broader impact on general well-being and relationships dynamics. An all-encompassing tool for assessing the impact of dietary choices on emotions of coziness, social interaction, and general wellness, the multi-dimensional Culinary Comfort and Connection Index (CCCI) focuses on traditional home-cooked meals in particular. Methods We used an online-based survey to validate the CCCI. With a Cronbach alpha of 0.844, this scale is reliable and valid. It covers a wide range of aspects including self-care advocacy, traditional values, and a preference for handmade food. We performed descriptive and strati ed analyses and tested correlations. A signi cance level of 0.05 was chosen. We used Pearson Chi-Square and Likelihood Ratio tests.
The objectives of this study were to examine the correlations between big five personality traits... more The objectives of this study were to examine the correlations between big five personality traits and depressive symptoms among Chinese undergraduate medical students, and to explore the mediating role of self-esteem on the correlations. Self-reported questionnaires, including Big Five Inventory, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem scale, and socio-demographic section were distributed to 2000 undergraduate medical students at four medical colleges and universities in Liaoning province, China, in June 2014. 1738 students became the final subjects. After adjustment for age and gender, agreeableness (b = À0.329) and openness (b = À0.096) were negatively related to depressive symptoms, while neuroticism (b = 0.245) was positively related to the symptoms. Self-esteem functioned as a mediator in the relationship between agreeableness (a * b = À0.154, 95% CI: À0.182, À0.127)/openness (a * b = À0.097, 95% CI: À0.124, À0.069)/neuroticism (a * b = 0.031, 95% CI: 0.007, 0.058) and depressive symptoms. Therefore, identifying at-risk students and undertaking appropriate intervention strategies that focus on both personality traits and self-esteem may be effective in preventing and reducing depressive symptoms among Chinese medical students.
The subject of educational leadership would usually commence immediately by approaching the topic... more The subject of educational leadership would usually commence immediately by approaching the topic & work related to it. This paper is attempting to enhance the scope to examine some aspects of leadership and then to synthesize these to the concept of educational leadership. In Pakistan educational leadership is a stroke of luck, not a nourished and groomed phenomenon. It appears on an adhoc basis in the educational environment; few & far between examples of educational leadership exist. But to explain this phenomenon, enhancing the scope of leadership may be one way of explaining it better. We have also attempted to evaluate educational policy from high benchmark countries in education such as USA, Canada, UK and a comparison of Pakistani education policy and practice. However the limitation of this paper is that we did not have sufficient data and information on principals of educational institutes of Pakistan and education policy and the historical perspective of the same. But the comparison makes an interesting case. There is a shortage of principals that have a vision and ability to lead in education, as they are not selected on merits; ill-educated; not sufficient grounding for the position of principal. The need is to break away from 'policy mechanic paradigm' and go for 'classroom culturalist model' and this is influenced by the quality of leadership. The objective of this research are to understand what leadership in reality is and how it translates in the context of education, and to understand what a good model of educational leadership is and how to develop this in the context of cultural and regional factors in Pakistan.
Journal of Professional Research in Social Sciences
This study examines how age, education, gender, and mother's employment position affect femin... more This study examines how age, education, gender, and mother's employment position affect feminist ideals, gender equality in political leadership, gender stereotypes, and women's political engagement. Higher education levels indicate stronger feminist views, indicating that education shapes feminist beliefs. Working mothers are more likely to support feminist principles than housewives. Moreover, the findings revealed that women are more likely than males to oppose gender conventions and pursue gender balance in political leadership and institutions. However, relationships may not always be statistically significant, therefore further study is needed to understand the reasons and frequency of these attitudes across both genders. This study illuminates feminist attitudes' complexity, impacted by education, gender, and the mother's job position. The findings highlight the need for further research into the relationship between gender norms, cultural expectations, and fe...
Journal of Professional Research in Social Sciences
Problem Statement: There is limited research in context of coverage of climate change in the vern... more Problem Statement: There is limited research in context of coverage of climate change in the vernacular press like Urdu journalism and the study fills the gap. The studies which are conducted in context of Pakistan have focused on limited variables for analysis. Aims and Objectives: The objectives of the study are to research the effects and efficacy coverage of climate change in the editorials of leading Urdu language newspapers of Pakistan. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework comprises of triangulation for the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) and framing theory. Methodology: The method which is used for analyzing the contents of newspapers in quantitative content analysis. The universe for the study is 3 years of editorial coverage of climate change in the Roznama Jang and the Roznama Express from September 2018 to August 2021.The units of analysis are lead editorials and the sub-editorials. Results/Findings: The study finds that there was limited editorial cove...
Presently, the dissemination of false news is one of the greatest problems surrounding social med... more Presently, the dissemination of false news is one of the greatest problems surrounding social media platforms. Fake news is a weapon used to distort and mislead people's views, contributing to the escalation of social disputes and increase of insecurity. Honeycomb framework of social media was employed to examine various elements that impact the behavior of sharing information, including fake news. Findings show that media consumers claim to engage in fact-checking and corrective measures to prevent the propagation of misleading information. The results are inconsistent with the reality where the spread of misinformation remains a serious issue. More research is needed to further understand how the personal and sociological aspects identified by the honeycomb framework influence the spread of false news and how they relate to the worldviews of the communities in which people are embedded. It is important to comprehend fake news as a part of a wider media ecosystem.
Journal of media and entrepreneurial studies, Mar 18, 2024
This study aims to analyze how the Pakistani public engages with e-government, particularly at th... more This study aims to analyze how the Pakistani public engages with e-government, particularly at the local government level. The research focuses on the social media tools utilized by selected institutions, their social media management practices, institutional policies, and the impact of their initiatives. The study highlights the limited responsiveness of Pakistanis towards e-government adoption. The study shows that Pakistani government institutions are increasingly using social media platforms to engage with the public, establish connections, and receive feedback. However, certain departments need to transition to online platforms, necessitating more digital integration. Government social media administrators include CEOs, regional directors, information officers, and media officers, highlighting the complexity of public sector social media management. The study indicates that numerous social media management departments use data to highlight teamwork but have fewer senior female officers. The most commonly used social media platforms by government agencies are Facebook, official websites, and WhatsApp. Meeting citizens' expectations requires addressing issues, responding to queries, and maximizing the potential of social media. However, despite the popularity of social media, residents still prefer contacting government entities by phone and in person. Therefore, the study emphasizes the importance of clear social media policies for government bodies. The study underscores the need for government institutions to adapt their social media strategies based on public preferences. The report suggests that standard operating procedures (SOPs), varied social media teams, and explicit government social media laws can help improve the situation. The study provides a reliable framework for future research and legislation on government-citizen social media engagement, although it primarily reflects government officials' viewpoints.
Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment
Instagram is a popular social networking site for sharing visual content such as photos and video... more Instagram is a popular social networking site for sharing visual content such as photos and videos. Users can “follow,” “like,” and “comment” on the posts of others. Instagram has become a place for users to constantly compare themselves to others and feel compelled to show oneself in a certain manner due to the platform's emphasis on visual content. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether Instagram users experience regret or social pressure based on their gender. The research examines whether Instagram users adhere to social norms and compare themselves to others on the network, drawing on the theories of social conformity and social comparison. Data was collected from 390 Instagram users through an online survey. Results showed that women use Instagram filters and editing tools more frequently than men, but the reasons for this gender gap require further investigation. Contrary to the hypothesis, the association between time spent on Instagram and social conformity pressure was not stronger for women than for men. Instead, Instagram use frequency played a vital role in shaping the relationship between time spent on the platform and social conformity pressure. According to the study's findings a large proportion of Instagram users, regardless of gender, reported having regret after posting. Our results imply that those who spend more time on Instagram may experience more pressure to adhere to the views and actions of others on the site, with regular use perhaps being a driving factor in this pressure.
Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment , 2023
Instagram is a popular social networking site for sharing visual content such as photos and video... more Instagram is a popular social networking site for sharing visual content such as photos and videos. Users can “follow,” “like,” and “comment” on the posts of others. Instagram has become a place for users to constantly compare themselves to others and feel compelled to show oneself in a certain manner due to the platform's emphasis on visual content. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether Instagram users experience regret or social pressure based on their gender. The research examines whether Instagram users adhere to social norms and compare themselves to others on the network, drawing on the theories of social conformity and social comparison. Data was collected from 390 Instagram users through an online survey. Results showed that women use Instagram filters and editing tools more frequently than men, but the reasons for this gender gap require further investigation. Contrary to the hypothesis, the association between time spent on Instagram and social conformity pressure was not stronger for women than for men. Instead, Instagram use frequency played a vital role in shaping the relationship between time spent on the platform and social conformity pressure. According to the study's findings a large proportion of Instagram users, regardless of gender, reported having regret after posting. Our results imply that those who spend more time on Instagram may experience more pressure to adhere to the views and actions of others on the site, with regular use perhaps being a driving factor in this pressure.
Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 2023
Instagram is a popular social networking site for sharing visual content such as photos and video... more Instagram is a popular social networking site for sharing visual content such as photos and videos. Users can “follow,” “like,” and “comment” on the posts of others. Instagram has become a place for users to constantly compare themselves to others and feel compelled to show oneself in a certain manner due to the platform's emphasis on visual content. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether Instagram users experience regret or social pressure based on their gender. The research examines whether Instagram users adhere to social norms and compare themselves to others on the network, drawing on the theories of social conformity and social comparison. Data was collected from 390 Instagram users through an online survey. Results showed that women use Instagram filters and editing tools more frequently than men, but the reasons for this gender gap require further investigation. Contrary to the hypothesis, the association between time spent on Instagram and social conformity pressure was not stronger for women than for men. Instead, Instagram use frequency played a vital role in shaping the relationship between time spent on the platform and social conformity pressure. According to the study's findings a large proportion of Instagram users, regardless of gender, reported having regret after posting. Our results imply that those who spend more time on Instagram may experience more pressure to adhere to the views and actions of others on the site, with regular use perhaps being a driving factor in this pressure.
Using the audience-centered uses and gratification (U&G) approach, this study investigated the po... more Using the audience-centered uses and gratification (U&G) approach, this study investigated the political usage of Instagram by young people. Specifically, the study aimed to evaluate how Instagram-related incentives influence the political behaviors of young people, including accessing political information, expressing political ideas, and following politicians/news media accounts on Instagram. It also investigated the relationship between the passive consumption of political content (passive political engagement) on Instagram and active online political activity. It was revealed that the motivation for political expression impacts the connection between passive political engagement based on the intake and absorption of political information and active online political participation. Furthermore, following politicians on Instagram mediates both passive political involvement and aggressive political activity. In addition, as a co-mediator, age, gender, education, and social status are found to play no major influence in predicting the political behavior of Instagram users. Furthermore, political information seeking is not a predictor of political participation.
Journal of Development and Social Sciences (JDSS), 2022
Presently, the dissemination of false news is one of the greatest problems surrounding social med... more Presently, the dissemination of false news is one of the greatest problems surrounding social media platforms. Fake news is a weapon used to distort and mislead people's views, contributing to the escalation of social disputes and increase of insecurity. Honeycomb framework of social media was employed to examine various elements that impact the behavior of sharing information, including fake news. Findings show that media consumers claim to engage in fact-checking and corrective measures to prevent the propagation of misleading information. The results are inconsistent with the reality where the spread of misinformation remains a serious issue. More research is needed to further understand how the personal and sociological aspects identified by the honeycomb framework influence the spread of false news and how they relate to the worldviews of the communities in which people are embedded. It is important to comprehend fake news as a part of a wider media ecosystem.
The pervasiveness of communication technology has made the media the most influential immediate f... more The pervasiveness of communication technology has made the media the most influential immediate force on the attitudes and values of media consumers. Regarding the impact that media has had on people's attitudes toward women and other social groups that have historically been marginalized or subjected to discrimination there are varying points of view, including optimistic ones that predict rising levels of tolerance and pessimistic ones that predict stable or declining levels of tolerance. Aim: This idea was investigated by analyzing people's opinions toward women, immigrants, and other religious groups. A distinction is made between the high media users and low media users and their socioeconomic status to analyze the media influence on attitudes. Methodology: A cross-sectional quantitative method was adopted for this study. A convenience sampling method was utilized to get the representative data from 300 people. A structured questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection. Key Findings: Tolerance for religious sects and minorities has increased across the board among high media users, and young people are also more open to religious diversity. These patterns largely concur with the upbeat viewpoints. Despite this, we discover that bias still exists among young people, as evidenced by the fact that a sizable portion of respondents still have trouble accepting women's independence in life and blame it for the moral decline of society. Conclusion: In the case of national security, which most respondents placed national security above the rights of immigrants and agreed to deport them immediately, intolerance toward immigrants /refugees appears strong. These findings are thus more in line with the expectations of pessimistic life perspectives, which believe media to be the cause of moral deterioration in society.
With the rise of social media over the last two decades, people have become more polarized and ri... more With the rise of social media over the last two decades, people have become more polarized and rigid in their views. Social interactions on social media networks are affecting political behaviors and making people obstinate partisans. The term obstinate partisanship was coined by Ardevol-Abreu and Gil de Zuniga (2020) and referred to the blind, unconditional loyalty to a certain political party. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of obstinate partisanship in Pakistani media users who are active consumers of political news and regularly engage in political discussions. This study seeks to investigate how significantly various factors impact obstinate partisanship. The factors studied are media use habits, affiliation with a political party, sociodemographic characteristics including age, gender, education, income, area of residence, and political discussion attributes. The survey data collected from the four major cities of Pakistan and their neighboring rural are...
The aim of the study is to assess the impact of political talk shows on television on the politic... more The aim of the study is to assess the impact of political talk shows on television on the political efficacy of the viewers. Mediation analysis was conducted to investigate if trust on political information gained from TV talk shows' affects political efficacy of the viewers. Moreover, how much political perception about political issues, government and politicians influence individuals' political efficacy. The data from 400 university students of Lahore between the ages of 18 to 35 was collected purposively ensuring that the participant is regular viewer of political TV talk shows. The results revealed that watching TV talk shows significantly influence political efficacy. Trust on TV talk shows and political perception about political issues significant impact on political efficacy of the viewers. However, the two variables partially mediate the influence of TV talk shows on political efficacy.
This research study aimed to explore the parents' perceptions and knowledge with reference to... more This research study aimed to explore the parents' perceptions and knowledge with reference to child immunization under the expanded program of immunization. A sample of 200 couples was taken from different provinces of Pakistan, including Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan and KPK, by utilizing the convenient sampling technique. The findings of the study indicated that the young couples had more knowledge about the covered diseases, schedule of immunization and expanded the program of immunization. Mothers were having good knowledge of EPI, and their mean knowledge was greater than their counterparts. Similarly, employed and urbanized couples had also significant knowledge about the expanded program of immunization and its covered diseases. Television, radio and the internet were the leading and effective sources of information regarding EPI and its covered diseases. Furthermore, access to immunization centers, migration, absence or unavailability of vaccination staff and post-immunizat...
This study investigated the students‟ perceptions of the educational environment, approaches to l... more This study investigated the students‟ perceptions of the educational environment, approaches to learning, academic motivation and learning preferences at two universities in Lahore. Multistage random sampling procedure was used to draw samples from the two universities. The total sample consisted of 912 students; 570 students from one university and 342 from the second university. The Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ; Wilson et al., 1997) was used to measure the students‟ perceptions of the educational environment. Approaches to Learning and Studying Inventory (ALSI; Entwistle, McCune, and Hounsell, 2003) was used to measure the students‟ approaches to learning. The students at the two universities perceived their educational environment more positively in terms of generic skills that they had acquired during the course of study (critical thinking, communication skills etc.) than in terms of instructional practices, workload, assessment and learning resources. They showed greate...
The current study is an exploratory study of Pakistan's print media to understand its role in the... more The current study is an exploratory study of Pakistan's print media to understand its role in the promotion of Human rights as their promotion is the basic duty of every state as per the United Nations agenda. It is the content analysis of four national dailies, both Urdu and English. Study finds out that there is no significant difference among both types of papers in publishing news regarding Human Rights. But Urdu papers published more news about Human Rights as compare to English Dailies. Both type of newspapers mostly published news about loss & damages and the statements. Pakistani press is not conscious about the United Nations Agenda of "Promotion of Human Rights is the responsibility of the states" and publishes the news about incidents objectively. Professional journalists should differentiate between the "Human right journalism and human wrong journalism.
This study observed the influence of the credibility factors on the perception of the credibility... more This study observed the influence of the credibility factors on the perception of the credibility of political information among the youth. Credibility can be due to the medium through which the information reaches the people; the source of the information; or the information itself. Each of the three factors: medium, source, and message are analyzed separately as an independent variable to observe its influence on the overall credibility of the political content received, as the dependent variable. The key finding is that the majority of them trust that online political content is produced and run by the trustworthy, intelligent and experts. They also appear to believe that online political content is trustworthy, accurate, fair and respectful towards other's privacy. Moreover, it is found that the credibility of online political content is independent of any other credibility factor such as the source, medium, or the content credibility. The number of likes and shares seems to be the biggest criteria of the credibility and trustworthiness of a political content in the eyes of young university students. The findings of the study would allow the experts to convey political information to millennial effectively.
Background This study investigates the complex interaction between individuals' culinary tastes, ... more Background This study investigates the complex interaction between individuals' culinary tastes, at-home dining habits, and their broader impact on general well-being and relationships dynamics. An all-encompassing tool for assessing the impact of dietary choices on emotions of coziness, social interaction, and general wellness, the multi-dimensional Culinary Comfort and Connection Index (CCCI) focuses on traditional home-cooked meals in particular. Methods We used an online-based survey to validate the CCCI. With a Cronbach alpha of 0.844, this scale is reliable and valid. It covers a wide range of aspects including self-care advocacy, traditional values, and a preference for handmade food. We performed descriptive and strati ed analyses and tested correlations. A signi cance level of 0.05 was chosen. We used Pearson Chi-Square and Likelihood Ratio tests.
The objectives of this study were to examine the correlations between big five personality traits... more The objectives of this study were to examine the correlations between big five personality traits and depressive symptoms among Chinese undergraduate medical students, and to explore the mediating role of self-esteem on the correlations. Self-reported questionnaires, including Big Five Inventory, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem scale, and socio-demographic section were distributed to 2000 undergraduate medical students at four medical colleges and universities in Liaoning province, China, in June 2014. 1738 students became the final subjects. After adjustment for age and gender, agreeableness (b = À0.329) and openness (b = À0.096) were negatively related to depressive symptoms, while neuroticism (b = 0.245) was positively related to the symptoms. Self-esteem functioned as a mediator in the relationship between agreeableness (a * b = À0.154, 95% CI: À0.182, À0.127)/openness (a * b = À0.097, 95% CI: À0.124, À0.069)/neuroticism (a * b = 0.031, 95% CI: 0.007, 0.058) and depressive symptoms. Therefore, identifying at-risk students and undertaking appropriate intervention strategies that focus on both personality traits and self-esteem may be effective in preventing and reducing depressive symptoms among Chinese medical students.
The subject of educational leadership would usually commence immediately by approaching the topic... more The subject of educational leadership would usually commence immediately by approaching the topic & work related to it. This paper is attempting to enhance the scope to examine some aspects of leadership and then to synthesize these to the concept of educational leadership. In Pakistan educational leadership is a stroke of luck, not a nourished and groomed phenomenon. It appears on an adhoc basis in the educational environment; few & far between examples of educational leadership exist. But to explain this phenomenon, enhancing the scope of leadership may be one way of explaining it better. We have also attempted to evaluate educational policy from high benchmark countries in education such as USA, Canada, UK and a comparison of Pakistani education policy and practice. However the limitation of this paper is that we did not have sufficient data and information on principals of educational institutes of Pakistan and education policy and the historical perspective of the same. But the comparison makes an interesting case. There is a shortage of principals that have a vision and ability to lead in education, as they are not selected on merits; ill-educated; not sufficient grounding for the position of principal. The need is to break away from 'policy mechanic paradigm' and go for 'classroom culturalist model' and this is influenced by the quality of leadership. The objective of this research are to understand what leadership in reality is and how it translates in the context of education, and to understand what a good model of educational leadership is and how to develop this in the context of cultural and regional factors in Pakistan.
Journal of Professional Research in Social Sciences
This study examines how age, education, gender, and mother's employment position affect femin... more This study examines how age, education, gender, and mother's employment position affect feminist ideals, gender equality in political leadership, gender stereotypes, and women's political engagement. Higher education levels indicate stronger feminist views, indicating that education shapes feminist beliefs. Working mothers are more likely to support feminist principles than housewives. Moreover, the findings revealed that women are more likely than males to oppose gender conventions and pursue gender balance in political leadership and institutions. However, relationships may not always be statistically significant, therefore further study is needed to understand the reasons and frequency of these attitudes across both genders. This study illuminates feminist attitudes' complexity, impacted by education, gender, and the mother's job position. The findings highlight the need for further research into the relationship between gender norms, cultural expectations, and fe...
Journal of Professional Research in Social Sciences
Problem Statement: There is limited research in context of coverage of climate change in the vern... more Problem Statement: There is limited research in context of coverage of climate change in the vernacular press like Urdu journalism and the study fills the gap. The studies which are conducted in context of Pakistan have focused on limited variables for analysis. Aims and Objectives: The objectives of the study are to research the effects and efficacy coverage of climate change in the editorials of leading Urdu language newspapers of Pakistan. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework comprises of triangulation for the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) and framing theory. Methodology: The method which is used for analyzing the contents of newspapers in quantitative content analysis. The universe for the study is 3 years of editorial coverage of climate change in the Roznama Jang and the Roznama Express from September 2018 to August 2021.The units of analysis are lead editorials and the sub-editorials. Results/Findings: The study finds that there was limited editorial cove...
Presently, the dissemination of false news is one of the greatest problems surrounding social med... more Presently, the dissemination of false news is one of the greatest problems surrounding social media platforms. Fake news is a weapon used to distort and mislead people's views, contributing to the escalation of social disputes and increase of insecurity. Honeycomb framework of social media was employed to examine various elements that impact the behavior of sharing information, including fake news. Findings show that media consumers claim to engage in fact-checking and corrective measures to prevent the propagation of misleading information. The results are inconsistent with the reality where the spread of misinformation remains a serious issue. More research is needed to further understand how the personal and sociological aspects identified by the honeycomb framework influence the spread of false news and how they relate to the worldviews of the communities in which people are embedded. It is important to comprehend fake news as a part of a wider media ecosystem.
Journal of media and entrepreneurial studies, Mar 18, 2024
This study aims to analyze how the Pakistani public engages with e-government, particularly at th... more This study aims to analyze how the Pakistani public engages with e-government, particularly at the local government level. The research focuses on the social media tools utilized by selected institutions, their social media management practices, institutional policies, and the impact of their initiatives. The study highlights the limited responsiveness of Pakistanis towards e-government adoption. The study shows that Pakistani government institutions are increasingly using social media platforms to engage with the public, establish connections, and receive feedback. However, certain departments need to transition to online platforms, necessitating more digital integration. Government social media administrators include CEOs, regional directors, information officers, and media officers, highlighting the complexity of public sector social media management. The study indicates that numerous social media management departments use data to highlight teamwork but have fewer senior female officers. The most commonly used social media platforms by government agencies are Facebook, official websites, and WhatsApp. Meeting citizens' expectations requires addressing issues, responding to queries, and maximizing the potential of social media. However, despite the popularity of social media, residents still prefer contacting government entities by phone and in person. Therefore, the study emphasizes the importance of clear social media policies for government bodies. The study underscores the need for government institutions to adapt their social media strategies based on public preferences. The report suggests that standard operating procedures (SOPs), varied social media teams, and explicit government social media laws can help improve the situation. The study provides a reliable framework for future research and legislation on government-citizen social media engagement, although it primarily reflects government officials' viewpoints.
Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment
Instagram is a popular social networking site for sharing visual content such as photos and video... more Instagram is a popular social networking site for sharing visual content such as photos and videos. Users can “follow,” “like,” and “comment” on the posts of others. Instagram has become a place for users to constantly compare themselves to others and feel compelled to show oneself in a certain manner due to the platform's emphasis on visual content. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether Instagram users experience regret or social pressure based on their gender. The research examines whether Instagram users adhere to social norms and compare themselves to others on the network, drawing on the theories of social conformity and social comparison. Data was collected from 390 Instagram users through an online survey. Results showed that women use Instagram filters and editing tools more frequently than men, but the reasons for this gender gap require further investigation. Contrary to the hypothesis, the association between time spent on Instagram and social conformity pressure was not stronger for women than for men. Instead, Instagram use frequency played a vital role in shaping the relationship between time spent on the platform and social conformity pressure. According to the study's findings a large proportion of Instagram users, regardless of gender, reported having regret after posting. Our results imply that those who spend more time on Instagram may experience more pressure to adhere to the views and actions of others on the site, with regular use perhaps being a driving factor in this pressure.
Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment , 2023
Instagram is a popular social networking site for sharing visual content such as photos and video... more Instagram is a popular social networking site for sharing visual content such as photos and videos. Users can “follow,” “like,” and “comment” on the posts of others. Instagram has become a place for users to constantly compare themselves to others and feel compelled to show oneself in a certain manner due to the platform's emphasis on visual content. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether Instagram users experience regret or social pressure based on their gender. The research examines whether Instagram users adhere to social norms and compare themselves to others on the network, drawing on the theories of social conformity and social comparison. Data was collected from 390 Instagram users through an online survey. Results showed that women use Instagram filters and editing tools more frequently than men, but the reasons for this gender gap require further investigation. Contrary to the hypothesis, the association between time spent on Instagram and social conformity pressure was not stronger for women than for men. Instead, Instagram use frequency played a vital role in shaping the relationship between time spent on the platform and social conformity pressure. According to the study's findings a large proportion of Instagram users, regardless of gender, reported having regret after posting. Our results imply that those who spend more time on Instagram may experience more pressure to adhere to the views and actions of others on the site, with regular use perhaps being a driving factor in this pressure.
Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 2023
Instagram is a popular social networking site for sharing visual content such as photos and video... more Instagram is a popular social networking site for sharing visual content such as photos and videos. Users can “follow,” “like,” and “comment” on the posts of others. Instagram has become a place for users to constantly compare themselves to others and feel compelled to show oneself in a certain manner due to the platform's emphasis on visual content. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether Instagram users experience regret or social pressure based on their gender. The research examines whether Instagram users adhere to social norms and compare themselves to others on the network, drawing on the theories of social conformity and social comparison. Data was collected from 390 Instagram users through an online survey. Results showed that women use Instagram filters and editing tools more frequently than men, but the reasons for this gender gap require further investigation. Contrary to the hypothesis, the association between time spent on Instagram and social conformity pressure was not stronger for women than for men. Instead, Instagram use frequency played a vital role in shaping the relationship between time spent on the platform and social conformity pressure. According to the study's findings a large proportion of Instagram users, regardless of gender, reported having regret after posting. Our results imply that those who spend more time on Instagram may experience more pressure to adhere to the views and actions of others on the site, with regular use perhaps being a driving factor in this pressure.
Using the audience-centered uses and gratification (U&G) approach, this study investigated the po... more Using the audience-centered uses and gratification (U&G) approach, this study investigated the political usage of Instagram by young people. Specifically, the study aimed to evaluate how Instagram-related incentives influence the political behaviors of young people, including accessing political information, expressing political ideas, and following politicians/news media accounts on Instagram. It also investigated the relationship between the passive consumption of political content (passive political engagement) on Instagram and active online political activity. It was revealed that the motivation for political expression impacts the connection between passive political engagement based on the intake and absorption of political information and active online political participation. Furthermore, following politicians on Instagram mediates both passive political involvement and aggressive political activity. In addition, as a co-mediator, age, gender, education, and social status are found to play no major influence in predicting the political behavior of Instagram users. Furthermore, political information seeking is not a predictor of political participation.
Journal of Development and Social Sciences (JDSS), 2022
Presently, the dissemination of false news is one of the greatest problems surrounding social med... more Presently, the dissemination of false news is one of the greatest problems surrounding social media platforms. Fake news is a weapon used to distort and mislead people's views, contributing to the escalation of social disputes and increase of insecurity. Honeycomb framework of social media was employed to examine various elements that impact the behavior of sharing information, including fake news. Findings show that media consumers claim to engage in fact-checking and corrective measures to prevent the propagation of misleading information. The results are inconsistent with the reality where the spread of misinformation remains a serious issue. More research is needed to further understand how the personal and sociological aspects identified by the honeycomb framework influence the spread of false news and how they relate to the worldviews of the communities in which people are embedded. It is important to comprehend fake news as a part of a wider media ecosystem.
The pervasiveness of communication technology has made the media the most influential immediate f... more The pervasiveness of communication technology has made the media the most influential immediate force on the attitudes and values of media consumers. Regarding the impact that media has had on people's attitudes toward women and other social groups that have historically been marginalized or subjected to discrimination there are varying points of view, including optimistic ones that predict rising levels of tolerance and pessimistic ones that predict stable or declining levels of tolerance. Aim: This idea was investigated by analyzing people's opinions toward women, immigrants, and other religious groups. A distinction is made between the high media users and low media users and their socioeconomic status to analyze the media influence on attitudes. Methodology: A cross-sectional quantitative method was adopted for this study. A convenience sampling method was utilized to get the representative data from 300 people. A structured questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection. Key Findings: Tolerance for religious sects and minorities has increased across the board among high media users, and young people are also more open to religious diversity. These patterns largely concur with the upbeat viewpoints. Despite this, we discover that bias still exists among young people, as evidenced by the fact that a sizable portion of respondents still have trouble accepting women's independence in life and blame it for the moral decline of society. Conclusion: In the case of national security, which most respondents placed national security above the rights of immigrants and agreed to deport them immediately, intolerance toward immigrants /refugees appears strong. These findings are thus more in line with the expectations of pessimistic life perspectives, which believe media to be the cause of moral deterioration in society.
With the rise of social media over the last two decades, people have become more polarized and ri... more With the rise of social media over the last two decades, people have become more polarized and rigid in their views. Social interactions on social media networks are affecting political behaviors and making people obstinate partisans. The term obstinate partisanship was coined by Ardevol-Abreu and Gil de Zuniga (2020) and referred to the blind, unconditional loyalty to a certain political party. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of obstinate partisanship in Pakistani media users who are active consumers of political news and regularly engage in political discussions. This study seeks to investigate how significantly various factors impact obstinate partisanship. The factors studied are media use habits, affiliation with a political party, sociodemographic characteristics including age, gender, education, income, area of residence, and political discussion attributes. The survey data collected from the four major cities of Pakistan and their neighboring rural are...
The aim of the study is to assess the impact of political talk shows on television on the politic... more The aim of the study is to assess the impact of political talk shows on television on the political efficacy of the viewers. Mediation analysis was conducted to investigate if trust on political information gained from TV talk shows' affects political efficacy of the viewers. Moreover, how much political perception about political issues, government and politicians influence individuals' political efficacy. The data from 400 university students of Lahore between the ages of 18 to 35 was collected purposively ensuring that the participant is regular viewer of political TV talk shows. The results revealed that watching TV talk shows significantly influence political efficacy. Trust on TV talk shows and political perception about political issues significant impact on political efficacy of the viewers. However, the two variables partially mediate the influence of TV talk shows on political efficacy.
This research study aimed to explore the parents' perceptions and knowledge with reference to... more This research study aimed to explore the parents' perceptions and knowledge with reference to child immunization under the expanded program of immunization. A sample of 200 couples was taken from different provinces of Pakistan, including Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan and KPK, by utilizing the convenient sampling technique. The findings of the study indicated that the young couples had more knowledge about the covered diseases, schedule of immunization and expanded the program of immunization. Mothers were having good knowledge of EPI, and their mean knowledge was greater than their counterparts. Similarly, employed and urbanized couples had also significant knowledge about the expanded program of immunization and its covered diseases. Television, radio and the internet were the leading and effective sources of information regarding EPI and its covered diseases. Furthermore, access to immunization centers, migration, absence or unavailability of vaccination staff and post-immunizat...
This study investigated the students‟ perceptions of the educational environment, approaches to l... more This study investigated the students‟ perceptions of the educational environment, approaches to learning, academic motivation and learning preferences at two universities in Lahore. Multistage random sampling procedure was used to draw samples from the two universities. The total sample consisted of 912 students; 570 students from one university and 342 from the second university. The Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ; Wilson et al., 1997) was used to measure the students‟ perceptions of the educational environment. Approaches to Learning and Studying Inventory (ALSI; Entwistle, McCune, and Hounsell, 2003) was used to measure the students‟ approaches to learning. The students at the two universities perceived their educational environment more positively in terms of generic skills that they had acquired during the course of study (critical thinking, communication skills etc.) than in terms of instructional practices, workload, assessment and learning resources. They showed greate...
The current study is an exploratory study of Pakistan's print media to understand its role in the... more The current study is an exploratory study of Pakistan's print media to understand its role in the promotion of Human rights as their promotion is the basic duty of every state as per the United Nations agenda. It is the content analysis of four national dailies, both Urdu and English. Study finds out that there is no significant difference among both types of papers in publishing news regarding Human Rights. But Urdu papers published more news about Human Rights as compare to English Dailies. Both type of newspapers mostly published news about loss & damages and the statements. Pakistani press is not conscious about the United Nations Agenda of "Promotion of Human Rights is the responsibility of the states" and publishes the news about incidents objectively. Professional journalists should differentiate between the "Human right journalism and human wrong journalism.
This study observed the influence of the credibility factors on the perception of the credibility... more This study observed the influence of the credibility factors on the perception of the credibility of political information among the youth. Credibility can be due to the medium through which the information reaches the people; the source of the information; or the information itself. Each of the three factors: medium, source, and message are analyzed separately as an independent variable to observe its influence on the overall credibility of the political content received, as the dependent variable. The key finding is that the majority of them trust that online political content is produced and run by the trustworthy, intelligent and experts. They also appear to believe that online political content is trustworthy, accurate, fair and respectful towards other's privacy. Moreover, it is found that the credibility of online political content is independent of any other credibility factor such as the source, medium, or the content credibility. The number of likes and shares seems to be the biggest criteria of the credibility and trustworthiness of a political content in the eyes of young university students. The findings of the study would allow the experts to convey political information to millennial effectively.
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