Giulia Ranzini
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Ranzini
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Giulia
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+41 71 224 2792
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  • Publication
    Diversity by Choice : Applying a Social Cognitive Perspective to the Role of Public Service Media in the Digital Age
    (The Annenberg Center for Communication, 2015-04-30)
    Hoffmann, Christian Pieter
    ;
    Lutz, Christoph
    ;
    Meckel, Miriam
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    Hopes for a new abundance of diverse media content have long been tied to the rise of the Internet. Ensuring diversity remains a fundamental objective of media policy. However, media policy is still largely focused on public service media. In this article, we introduce a new theoretical perspective to inform media policy, focusing on the concept of diversity experience and users' motivation, awareness, and ability to seek diverse content in a transforming media environment. We argue that our understanding of and regulatory approaches to media pluralism must be adapted to technological advances. Based on social cognitive theory, we propose an extension of the diversity debate by considering user cognition. We analyze challenges to users' diversity experiences on a motivational, perceptual, and capability level. Given the (over)abundance of content available online, users must be willing and able to seek out diverse and serendipitous information. We derive a user-centric approach to media pluralism and diversity. Based on this framework, we outline criteria for changing the role of public service media in the digital age to focus on empowering users to actually experience media diversity.
    Type: journal article
    Journal: International Journal of Communication
    Volume: 9
    Issue: 1
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/106522
  • Publication
    Stress 2.0 : Social Media Overload among Swiss Teenagers
    (Emerald, 2014-12-07)
    Lutz, Christoph
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    ;
    Meckel, Miriam
    Technostress and information overload are serious challenges of the information age. An alarming number of people exhibit dangerously intensive media consumption, while Internet and mobile phone addictions are a widespread phenomenon. At the same time, new media overexposure among young people is understudied, even more so when social network sites are concerned. Our study explores how feelings of overexposure and stress relate to the self-expressive needs of teenagers, made explicit through their digital interactions. It presents and discusses the results of a large-scale survey conducted during an exhibition on media overload in Berne, Switzerland. A total of 6989 adolescents provided answers on their media overload and stress. Through a quantitative analysis, significant factors fostering and inhibiting SNS overload are found.
    Type: journal article
    Journal: Studies in Media and Communication
    Volume: 8
    Issue: 1
    DOI: 10.1108/S2050-206020140000008001
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/86033
  • Publication
    It's a Match! : Exploring dating apps and the self-presentation of users
    (Netherlands-Flanders Communication Association (NeFCA), 2016-02-04)
    Ranzini, Giulia
    ;
    Lutz, Christoph
    Dating apps have become increasing common in the last few years. As the popularity of online dating increased, the associated level of negative stigma seemed to shrink, Part of this change in attitude could be due to the evolution of dating sites into dating apps, reaching users in the private space of their smartphones and allowing them for real-time interactions with their contacts. The emergence of LBRTD (Location-Based-Real-Time-Dating) apps, such as Tinder, has enhanced this mechanism, employing the distance between users as a key variable on the basis of which significant others can be found. In this contribution, we explore how motivations, demographic characteristics and psychological influences affect Dutch students' self-presentation via photos on Tinder. To do so, we counducted an online survey with 156 respondents and applied structural equation modeling to the data. We find that Tinder self-presentation is affected by users' self-esteem (low self-esteem leads to higher levels of false and ideal self-presentation, as opposed to authentic self-presentation), their gender (female users reveal higher levels of ideal self-presentation than male ones) and their motivations to use the app (romantic motives leads to more authentic self-presentation).
    Type: conference paper
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/104681
  • Publication
    Swipe Right: An Exploration of Self-Presentation and Impression Management on Tinder
    (International Communication Association (ICA), 2016-06-10)
    Ranzini, Giulia
    ;
    Lutz, Christoph
    ;
    Gouderjaan, Marjolein
    The emergence of Location-Based-Real-Time-Dating (LBRTD) apps such as Tinder, has introduced a new way for users to get to know potential partners nearby. The design of the app represents a departure from "oldschool" dating sites as it leaves plenty of space for pictures, but only minimal room for self-description. This might change the way individuals decide to portray themselves as their real, ideal or ought-to self. Based on empirical data collected in the Netherlands, we try to assess how Tinder users present themselves, exploring at the same time the impact of their personality and their motives of use.
    Type: conference paper
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/104239
  • Publication
    Privacy Cynicism : An Approach to Understanding the Institutional Privacy Paradox
    (APC, 2015-10-24)
    Hoffmann, Christian Pieter
    ;
    Lutz, Christoph
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    Previous research on online privacy has identified a disparity between Internet users' privacy concerns and actual privacy protection behavior. Given the distinction between social and institutional privacy concerns, this "privacy paradox" appears especially pronounced in the context of institutional privacy threats. A number of studies attempt to explain the privacy paradox based on either user trust, lack of risk awareness or the privacy calculus thesis. In this study, we argue that none of these approaches satisfactorily explain the institutional privacy paradox. Instead, we propose that users faced with institutional privacy threats may develop an attitude we term privacy cynicism. Privacy cynicism serves as a cognitive coping mechanism allowing users to take advantage of online services despite privacy concerns. Based on focus groups conducted among German Internet users and an initial explorative student survey, we define the privacy paradox construct and propose an initial measurement instrument.
    Type: conference paper
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/105799
  • Publication
    An Element of Surprise : The Impact of Serendipity on Online Trust
    (Academy of Management, 2013-08-11)
    Hoffmann, Christian Pieter
    ;
    Lutz, Christoph
    ;
    Meckel, Miriam
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    The importance of user trust in online business is well-established in theory and practice. At the same time, the Internet is a dynamic space with constantly evolving user experiences based on new technological developments. A current example of such a development is the increasing use of algorithms in search and recommendation systems. Critics claim that these algorithms limit the users' Web experience and their ability to come across new and surprising, even challenging insights ("serendipity"). We propose that these developments have an impact on online trust and explore the effect of serendipity on trust formation as well as the role of privacy and security on serendipitous Web uses. Based on a large-scale representative survey among Swiss Internet users, we analyze a quantitative model of privacy perception, serendipity and trust on the Internet. We find that service providers suffering from a lack of trust need to weigh the benefits of a tightly controlled and efficient user experience against those of a more curious, explorative, trusting and less protective customer behavior.
    Type: conference paper
    DOI: 10.5465/ambpp.2013.12336abstract
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/88864
  • Publication
    Over-exposed portraits : Technology overload and the identities of the young
    (University of Antwerp, 2013-03-20)
    Lutz, Christoph
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    ;
    Meckel, Miriam
    Technostress and information overload represent serious challenges of the Information Age. An alarming number of people exhibit dangerously intensive media consumption, while Internet and mobile phone addictions are a widespread phenomenon, especially among teens. Despite increasing evidence for technostress and information overload within the literature, the consequences of new media overexposure on young individuals are so far understudied. When it comes to Social Network Sites (SNS), in particular, only limited research has been conducted on the causes and effects of excessive use and perceived overexposure. The value of social media for identity experimentation, construction and negotiation has been widely covered in research: the aim of our study is to explore how feelings of overexposure and stress relate to the self-expressive needs of teenagers, made explicit through their digital interactions. In this contribution we present and discuss the results of a large-scale survey conducted during an exhibition on media overload in Berne, Switzerland: a total of 6989 adolescents provided answers on their media overload and stress. Through a quantitative analysis, significant factors fostering and inhibiting SNS overload are found. Our results are discussed considering their meanings for the digital identities of teenagers, and for their well-being online.
    Type: conference paper
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/89500
  • Publication
    Trusted Surprises? : Antecedents of Serendipitous Encounters Online
    (ICA International Communication Association, 2013-06-19)
    Lutz, Christoph
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    ;
    Meckel, Miriam
    The concept of Serendipity, i. e. a useful discovery emerging out of chance encounters, has been increasingly discussed with the rise of personalized search and social media. Little is known, however, about what generates Serendipity, supporting the "accidental sagacity" of individuals. In the present paper, we explore the conditions and dimensions of Serendipity from a quantitative standpoint, relying on data from a representative survey conducted in Switzerland in 2012 (N=1002). Through a Structural Equation Model, we enrich current research on Serendipity by providing quantitative support to the theory, and by including elements which relate to individuals, rather than to the Internet structure, thereby expanding the debate on the effects of personalization on innovation and creativity.
    Type: conference paper
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/89104
  • Publication
    Too Much of a Good Thing? : Technostress and Information Overload Among Young Swiss
    (ICA International Communication Association, 2013-06-20)
    Meckel, Miriam
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    ;
    Lutz, Christoph
    Technostress and information overload are serious challenges of the Information Age. An alarming number of people exhibit excessive media consumption, while Internet addiction seems to be an increasingly widespread phenomenon (Christakis et al., 2011). Although there is evidence for technostress and information overload in a range of studies (Bawden & Robinson, 2009; Eppler & Mengis, 2004; Shenk, 1997; Wang et al., 2008), little is known about how young people feel about overexposure to technology and new media (Akin, 1998). In order to address this gap, we present findings from a survey addressing the social media usage and perceptions of individuals, collected at the Museum for Communication in Bern, Switzerland. Based on a sample including 1915 children and 6989 adolescents and through a quantitative approach (OLS regressions) we explore the impact of cultural background, age and social status on differences in technostress.
    Type: conference paper
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/89094