{"title":"Social Media Addiction: The Mediating Role Between Teacher Relationships and Work Performance in Primary and Secondary Schools with the Moderating Role of School Climate.","authors":"ManLiu Wang,Yinghua Ye","doi":"10.1177/21522715261440997","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21522715261440997","url":null,"abstract":"Good teacher-student and parent-teacher relationships enhance teachers' sense of accomplishment and efficacy, thereby contributing to their professional development. Given the increasing role of social media as a primary source of relaxation and entertainment, understanding its impact on teachers is crucial. This study, involving 1,840 primary and secondary school teachers (Mage = 40.44, SD = 9.68, 38.8 percent male), employed a questionnaire to explore how teacher-student relationships, parent-teacher relationships, and social media addiction (SMA) influence teachers' work performance. The results revealed that (1) nearly half of the teachers were addicted to social media; (2) both parent-teacher and teacher-student relationships positively affected work performance, while SMA negatively impacted it; (3) when both relationships were present, parent-teacher relationships had a more significant effect, with SMA mediating the link between teacher-parent relationships and work performance; and (4) school climate moderated the impact of SMA on work performance. These findings clarify the interactions between interpersonal relationships, social media behavior, and work performance, suggesting strategies to improve performance through optimized relationships, guided social media use, and a positive school environment.","PeriodicalId":10872,"journal":{"name":"Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking","volume":"14 1","pages":"21522715261440997"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147702276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sara Gámez Martínez,Gary Lovatón Romero,Mariano Alcañiz Raya,Amaia Hervás Zúñiga
{"title":"An Exploratory Analysis of Eye-Tracking During a Virtual Reality Social Cognition Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.","authors":"Sara Gámez Martínez,Gary Lovatón Romero,Mariano Alcañiz Raya,Amaia Hervás Zúñiga","doi":"10.1177/21522715261439451","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21522715261439451","url":null,"abstract":"The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder is based on clinical judgment, as there are no clearly identified markers to determine the presence of this condition. Gaze patterns have been proposed as a potential biomarker for autism. This study aims to conduct an exploratory analysis of the eye-tracking data collected during a virtual reality-based intervention for social cognition in autistic children. Specifically, we evaluated the variations in social orientation toward social stimuli, the association of gaze patterns with autistic traits, theory of mind (ToM) and task performance, and the mediating effect of attentional mechanisms on the relationship between social cognition performance and autism symptomatology. Our findings identified an increase in social orientation time toward social stimuli, but eye-tracking measures did not significantly predict autism symptom severity or ToM ability. The mediation analysis also failed to find a significant mediating effect of gaze patterns on the relationship between task performance and autism severity. This study points to VR as a promising tool for improving social orienting in autistic children, although there is a need to further investigate the potential of eye-tracking measures as a behavioral marker for predicting social cognition performance.","PeriodicalId":10872,"journal":{"name":"Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking","volume":"7 1","pages":"21522715261439451"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147655923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Giuseppe Passalacqua,Federico Longoni,Stefania La Rocca,Giuseppe Riva
{"title":"Artificial Learning Mentor Avatar: A Minimal and Sustainable AI Assistant for Education.","authors":"Giuseppe Passalacqua,Federico Longoni,Stefania La Rocca,Giuseppe Riva","doi":"10.1177/21522715261437899","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21522715261437899","url":null,"abstract":"Recent advances in large language models and immersive interfaces have led to a rapid increase in artificial-intelligence-based instructional avatars. Studies consistently show that these avatars improve perceived social presence and learner engagement. In contrast, the effects on measurable learning outcomes are less consistent. When learning gains occur, they often depend on relational and motivational factors. Therefore, the key question is no longer whether teacher avatars \"work,\" but under which design conditions they can produce lasting educational benefits without causing negative effects such as relational dependency, cognitive overload, mismatched expectations or ethical uncertainty about the teacher's role. The Alma Project argues that research should prioritize pedagogical sustainability rather than maximizing technology. It identifies three design constraints that can preserve the educational relationship while limiting unintended outcomes: using a tutor-facilitator role, adopting minimal embodiment and ensuring controlled and transparent interaction. Building on these principles, we introduce the ALMA (Artificial Learning Mentor Avatar) model. ALMA is a deliberately limited educational avatar designed to provide sustainable instructional support. It is not intended to replace pedagogical authority and remains clearly anchored to the human teacher.","PeriodicalId":10872,"journal":{"name":"Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking","volume":"18 1","pages":"21522715261437899"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147635929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yuxuan Zhang,Wei Yao,Mengjian Hu,Yumei Li,Houde Liu,Shiguang Ni
{"title":"From Lockdown to Liberation: A Cross-Time Network Comparison of Social Media Use and Psychological Well-Being Among Young Adults.","authors":"Yuxuan Zhang,Wei Yao,Mengjian Hu,Yumei Li,Houde Liu,Shiguang Ni","doi":"10.1177/21522715261442259","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21522715261442259","url":null,"abstract":"This study utilized the COVID-19 pandemic as a natural experiment, conducting a retrospective cross-time comparison of young adults' social media use (SMU) and psychological well-being during and after the pandemic to assess changes in the network structure linking the two. Surveys were conducted at the same five universities in both time periods. Undergraduates were invited to report on their SMU intensity, positive/honest self-presentation, online positive feedback, anxiety, loneliness, and self-esteem. A network analysis was mainly conducted to compare the two cohorts. A total of 803 (age = 20.88 ± 1.72) and 1,062 (age = 19.27 ± 1.21) students participated in the study in April 2020 and in April 2025, respectively. The study got three main findings: (1) during the pandemic, the SMU intensity significantly increased anxiety and loneliness; however, these associations were no longer significant in the post-pandemic period; (2) compared to during the pandemic, young adults' self-expression on social media became more authentic and consistent in the post-pandemic period; and (3) compared with the pandemic-period network, self-esteem was more strongly associated with lower psychological distress and positive resources in the post-pandemic network. This study suggests that social disruption is an important context for understanding the associations between SMU and well-being, highlighting the significance of self-esteem and honest self-presentation in the contemporary social media landscape and providing empirical support for future policies and interventions in the digital era.","PeriodicalId":10872,"journal":{"name":"Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking","volume":"35 6 1","pages":"21522715261442259"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147635937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Synthetic News, Natural Doubts? A Meta-Analysis of Credibility Perceptions of AI-Generated News.","authors":"Hye Min Kim,Eun-Ju Lee,Jin Won Park,Nathan Walter","doi":"10.1177/21522715261439452","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21522715261439452","url":null,"abstract":"As generative artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into news production, concerns about the credibility of synthetic news content are intensifying. While some studies report that audiences find AI-generated news less credible than human-written content, others reveal mixed or even reversed findings. This meta-analysis synthesizes findings across 31 studies (41 effect sizes) to assess how the source label (AI vs. human) influences news users' evaluations of source credibility and message credibility. Results show a small but statistically significant penalty for AI-labeled (vs. human-labeled) news on both credibility measures. To better understand variability across studies, we put forth three moderators: (1) the value-ladenness of the topic, (2) participants' source orientation, and (3) actual authorship of the text. Although the first two moderators showed descriptive trends consistent with expectations, only the third reached statistical significance, with effects being more pronounced when the news articles were actually written by human only (vs. AI). These findings contribute to ongoing debates about the role of automation in journalism by clarifying when and why audiences mind the source.","PeriodicalId":10872,"journal":{"name":"Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking","volume":"18 1","pages":"21522715261439452"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147625509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Perceived Corporate and Peer Surveillance on the Internet: Scale Development and Validation.","authors":"Jošt Bartol,Laura Fatur,Andraž Petrovčič","doi":"10.1177/21522715261437955","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21522715261437955","url":null,"abstract":"In today's digital society, individuals' online activities are often observed by others. When people feel like they are being watched online, they may adjust their behavior to protect their privacy. To measure such perceptions and understand their antecedents and consequences, the Perceived Surveillance Scale (PSS) has been proposed to capture individuals' perceptions of being watched in digital environments. However, the PSS focuses on surveillance by corporate actors and does not address surveillance by actors such as family members or friends. This is a significant issue, as the literature on vertical and horizontal privacy indicates that distinguishing between corporate and peer actors facilitates more insightful and comprehensive analyses of individuals' online behavior. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a version of the PSS that captures individuals' perceived surveillance in relation to their peers. To this end, the original PSS was adapted to measure perceived peer surveillance, and then both the original and peer PSS were tested on a sample of 1,666 Internet users from Slovenia. Five distinct measurement properties were assessed for each scale: structural validity, internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity, measurement invariance, and construct validity (15 hypotheses per scale). The results revealed that corporate and peer PSSs measure two distinct types of perceived surveillance. Both scales exhibited excellent psychometric properties, with only minor deviations. Overall, the study provides a valid and reliable version of the PSS for peer contexts and highlights the value of distinguishing between perceived corporate and peer surveillance in digital environments.","PeriodicalId":10872,"journal":{"name":"Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking","volume":"247 1","pages":"21522715261437955"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147625508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Gender Switching in Social VR: The Impact of Socioeconomic Stability and Gender Role Stress on Female Avatar Selection Among Japanese Male Users.","authors":"Kotaro Hayashi,Heiwa Date","doi":"10.1177/21522715261439461","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21522715261439461","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigates sociodemographic and psychosocial factors associated with \"gender switching,\" where male social virtual reality (VR) users adopt female avatars. Using an online panel survey of Japanese VR participants (Nov-Dec 2023), the study analyzed 467 valid responses from male VR participants. Data covered age, education, relationship/employment status, gender-role attitudes, and five stress dimensions related to traditional Japanese male roles; respondents also reported the gender of their primary avatar. Latent class analysis (LCA) identified three subgroups: (a) Traditional stability (45.40 percent)-high education, regular employment, marriage, strong adherence to conventional gender roles; (b) Nontraditional stability (35.33 percent)-similar socioeconomic profile but rejecting traditional gender divisions; and (c) Instability (19.27 percent)-lower education, nonregular or no employment, unmarried, and mixed gender-role attitudes. Logistic regression tested whether class membership and male-role stress were associated with female-avatar use. Men in the Instability class had significantly higher odds of using female avatars (OR = 2.21, 95 percent CI = 1.10-4.43, p = 0.02). Among stress dimensions, only peer pressure to act \"manly\" was significant (OR = 1.64, 95 percent CI = 1.26-2.14, p < 0.001). These results suggest that structural instability in achieving the \"salaryman\" ideal and interpersonal pressure to conform to masculine norms are both associated with gender-switched avatar use. By combining LCA with regression analysis, this study shows how socioeconomic conditions and specific male-role stresses jointly shape identity expression in immersive virtual settings. Future research should examine the long-term impact of gender switching on identity and well-being and test the cross-cultural applicability of these findings.","PeriodicalId":10872,"journal":{"name":"Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking","volume":"63 1","pages":"21522715261439461"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147625510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chaeeun Han,Sangpil Youm,Hojeong Yoo,Sou Hyun Jang
{"title":"Revisiting \"Conceptualizing Stigma\": Unpacking Minority College Students' Stigmatization on Reddit.","authors":"Chaeeun Han,Sangpil Youm,Hojeong Yoo,Sou Hyun Jang","doi":"10.1177/21522715261425452","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21522715261425452","url":null,"abstract":"Stigma negatively impacts minority college students' mental health, yet little is known about how stigma processes differ across minority groups. This study examines how key components of stigma-labeling, stereotyping, separation, status loss, and discrimination-emerge across minority statuses (gender, race, religion, profession) and how they intensify through intersecting identities. We analyzed 331,353 posts from r/college using a Stereotype BERT model with stance detection. We extended the model to identify status loss and discrimination using semantic distance measures. Posts referencing professional identity were most associated with stereotyping, while those indicating racial identity showed higher frequencies of status loss and discrimination. Posts with intersecting identities showed the strongest associations with compounded stigma. Findings underscore the importance of intersectional approaches to understanding stigma, especially in addressing the compounded vulnerabilities faced by racial minorities and multiply-marginalized students.","PeriodicalId":10872,"journal":{"name":"Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking","volume":"32 1","pages":"21522715261425452"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147535772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Flagged but Fooled? Rethinking Misinformation Inoculation on Short-Form Video Apps.","authors":"Yongnam Jung","doi":"10.1177/21522715261432858","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21522715261432858","url":null,"abstract":"Social media platforms are fighting misinformation by adding warning flags and suggesting related content. However, it is still unclear how users understand these flags and whether they influence users' willingness to share content or believe false information-especially on video platforms such as TikTok. Do users notice these flags? If so, do the flags change how they view the content? Inoculation theory suggests that if individuals are forewarned about the potential for misinformation and are exposed to weakened forms of such misinformation, they may become less susceptible to misinformation. Does inoculating users with flagged content reduce false acceptance and sharing intentions later? To address these questions, we conducted a user study (N = 322) utilizing a TikTok-like interface, employing a 2 (misinformation warning: absent, present) × 3 (counterargument in pre-suggested false-flagged content: absent, cue, action) between-subject experimental design. While users noticed flags as intended, their perceptions regarding the frequency and harm of misinformation remain unchanged. Furthermoe, neither warning nor counterargument messages effectively reduced users' acceptance of misinformation or their intention to share it, highlighting the boundary conditions of inoculation theory within immersive short video contexts. Interestingly, media literacy and TikTok dependency have emerged as significant predictors of false acceptance. This study discusses the practical implications for the design of ethical social media interfaces.","PeriodicalId":10872,"journal":{"name":"Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking","volume":"57 1","pages":"21522715261432858"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147502352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Rewired: How Digital Mediation Is Reshaping Human Memory.","authors":"Brenda K Wiederhold","doi":"10.1177/21522715261434724","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21522715261434724","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":10872,"journal":{"name":"Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking","volume":"57 1","pages":"21522715261434724"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147495256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}