Lara Hallam | Artesis Plantijn Hogeschool (original) (raw)
Papers by Lara Hallam
Journal of Children and Media
I've always admired your work ethic, and I aspire to have your attitude towards work and just tow... more I've always admired your work ethic, and I aspire to have your attitude towards work and just towards life in general. You have, are and always will be, my true inspiration When I told my mum that I was going to do a PhD on online dating, her first reaction was, "well, if you find a partner through online dating, I'll think of this PhD as a great success". Well, not only did I get that PhD, I also got the man. Double win. Hendrik, it's hard to imagine how I would have ever finished this without you. You were there every step of the way, even when I would go on and on and on about my work. And not only were you not bored by my stories, you even decided that you wanted to listen to me nag for the rest of our lives. Thank you for being my amazing partner-in-crime. Thank you for your endless amount of compliments and for always having my back. Thank you. I love you. I'm so proud to call you my husband. vi vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements iv Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Chapter 2 Information disclosure, trust and health risks in online dating 25 Chapter 3 Taking it to the next level: The negligible role of trust when online dating goes offline 41 Chapter 4 Are sex differences in mating strategies overrated? Sociosexual orientation as a dominant predictor in online dating strategies 59 Chapter 5 Love hurts: Addressing hurtful events within online dating environments 77 Chapter 6 Verifying identities: The role of third-party reputation information in online dating 99 Chapter 7 "But friends say he's nice": Reputation information as a warranting tool in online dating General discussion References
Frontiers in Education, 2022
Parents sharing information about their children on social network sites (SNSs) (i.e., sharenting... more Parents sharing information about their children on social network sites (SNSs) (i.e., sharenting) is common today. However, previous work confronting parents’ and adolescents’ views on sharenting and related privacy concerns is limited. Therefore, the present study scrutinizes parents’ motives for sharenting and adolescents’ attitudes toward sharenting and negotiated privacy management strategies. Communication Privacy Management (CPM) was used as a theoretical framework. Based on 30 semi-structured interviews, two motives for sharenting were identified. Parents share information about their adolescent children because they are proud of their offspring or to inform family and friends. In turn, adolescents’ approval of their parents’ sharenting behavior depends on the content parents disclose online. Adolescents perceive sharenting as positive as long as they are nicely portrayed and positive events are shared. Additionally, both adolescents and parents are concerned about the child...
Behaviour & Information Technology, 2013
ABSTRACT Adolescent sexting – the electronic swapping of sexually intimate texts or images – has ... more ABSTRACT Adolescent sexting – the electronic swapping of sexually intimate texts or images – has attracted significant media and policy attention. However, questions remain about the predictors of this phenomenon, in which mobile phones play a central role in adolescents’ exploration of sexuality. Therefore, a survey involving 498 adolescents aged between 15 and 18 years was conducted. A first aim of this study is to determine the predictive value of personal attitudes, subjective norm and perceived control by applying the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). As a second aim, we wish to assess the relative importance of the most salient beliefs underpinning the TPB components, since this will allow us to gain a more nuanced insight into the characteristics of adolescent sexting. Analyses reveal that subjective norm is the most important predictor, followed by adolescents’ attitudes towards sexting. Perceived behavioural control is significantly but weakly associated with teenagers’ sexting intentions. Within subjective norm, friends and romantic partners represent the most important sources of social pressure, while only positive behavioural outcomes are found to affect adolescents’ sexting intentions. The most important control belief affecting adolescents’ intention to sext is the belief that it occurs relatively more often among those whom adolescents feel they can trust entirely.
Celebrity Studies, 2019
ABSTRACT Reality-TV stars are oftentimes confronted with harsh and insulting comments, a phenomen... more ABSTRACT Reality-TV stars are oftentimes confronted with harsh and insulting comments, a phenomenon known as online celebrity bashing. Existing research on celebrity bashing focused especially on bystanders and perpetrators of this phenomenon and not on the victims. This study aimed to enrich the knowledge on celebrity bashing by interviewing reality-TV stars about their experience and coping with this practise. A total of 13 interviews (N = 13) were conducted among the contestants and experts (participants’ guides through the experiment) across three seasons of a popular Flemish reality-TV programme. The results indicated that all participants had been confronted with bashing comments from the audience during and after broadcasting, with some of them facing quite intense experiences. The participants pointed to the responsibility of the production team, journalists and society in general, for stimulating such bashing comments. Online celebrity bashing generated negative and uncomfortable feelings. Nearly all participants avoided responding to the comments, but mostly opted for cognitive coping strategies, such as relativizing the situation. The results of this study are relevant for prevention and intervention strategies aimed to reduce celebrity bashing practices.
Online dating is characterized by computer-mediated communication (CMC) with a lessened availabil... more Online dating is characterized by computer-mediated communication (CMC) with a lessened availability of physical context cues, limiting online daters to nonverbally express themselves. This restricted amount of available cues generated a scientific research tension between the cues-filtered-in approach and the cues-filtered-out approach. Both theories were developed for CMC environments, yet only some explain self-disclosure and romantic relationship development in online dating. Next, the fact that online dating is initiated through CMC also encompasses enlarged opportunities of online dating profile manipulation. These different forms of deception can potentially harm online daters’ mental and physical health. This chapter gives an in-depth view on all the aforementioned aspects of online dating and will further discuss interpersonal trust development through self-disclosure.
Computers in Human Behavior
Abstract According to the socioemotional selectivity theory, adults place greater emphasis on fin... more Abstract According to the socioemotional selectivity theory, adults place greater emphasis on finding a life partner. As the traditional dating means and opportunities no longer suffice, online dating has become the perfect intermediary to start an offline relationship. This transition from the online to the offline dating sphere is called modality switching. Interestingly, researchers have not yet addressed the personal variables predicting this behavioral dating transition. From an online viewpoint, when purchasing online goods for offline use, online trust has proven to be crucial. From an offline perspective, general trust is key during initial offline encounters because it guides us in our assessment of another individual. However, the combination of these variables with age has not yet been investigated to explain online dating behavior or modality switching. A total sample of 645 individuals (n = 339 online daters) aged between 18 and 73 years completed an online questionnaire. They reported their levels of trust in general and online as well as their modality switching behavior. Results show that age was the overall and only predictor of online dating and continuing the online relationship offline. This research reveals that as individuals grow older, their inclination to switch modalities and date offline increases.
Evolutionary Psychological Science
Past research has extensively focused on sex differences in online dating strategies but has larg... more Past research has extensively focused on sex differences in online dating strategies but has largely neglected sex-related individual difference variables such as sociosexuality. Sociosexuality (i.e., a measure of the number of restrictions people place on sexual relationships) gained attention in the 1990s among social and evolutionary psychologists, but has not been fully embraced by social scientists investigating interpersonal relationships and individual differences. Our aim is to investigate whether previously documented sex differences in mating strategies can be partially explained by sociosexuality, as a proximate manifestation of sex, by replicating a study about motives to use online dating applications, using an online survey. A first MANCOVA analysis (N = 254 online daters) not controlling for sociosexuality showed a significant main effect for age and sex. Adding sociosexuality to this analysis, a significant main effect of sociosexuality appeared indicating that individuals with a preference for unrestricted sexual relationships are more motivated to use online dating for reasons related to casual sex, whereas individuals who prefer restricted sexual relationships are more motivated to use online dating to find romance. Interestingly, the original main effect for sex and the significant interactions were eliminated. We argue that in social scientific research, scholars should pay more attention to sociosexuality when doing research about mating strategies.
Behaviour & Information Technology.
Adolescent sexting – the electronic swapping of sexually intimate texts or images – has attracted... more Adolescent sexting – the electronic swapping of sexually intimate texts or images – has attracted significant media and policy attention. However, questions remain about the predictors of this phenomenon, in which mobile phones play a central role in adolescents’ exploration of sexuality. Therefore, a survey involving 498 adolescents aged between 15 and 18 years was conducted. A first aim of this study is to determine the predictive value of personal attitudes, subjective norms and perceived control by applying the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). As a second aim, we wish to assess the relative importance of the most salient beliefs underpinning the TPB components, since this will allow us to gain a more nuanced insight into the characteristics of adolescent sexting. Analyses reveal that subjective norm is the most important predictor, followed by adolescents’ attitudes towards sexting. Perceived behavioural control is significantly but weakly associated with teenagers’ sexting in...
Journal of Children and Media
I've always admired your work ethic, and I aspire to have your attitude towards work and just tow... more I've always admired your work ethic, and I aspire to have your attitude towards work and just towards life in general. You have, are and always will be, my true inspiration When I told my mum that I was going to do a PhD on online dating, her first reaction was, "well, if you find a partner through online dating, I'll think of this PhD as a great success". Well, not only did I get that PhD, I also got the man. Double win. Hendrik, it's hard to imagine how I would have ever finished this without you. You were there every step of the way, even when I would go on and on and on about my work. And not only were you not bored by my stories, you even decided that you wanted to listen to me nag for the rest of our lives. Thank you for being my amazing partner-in-crime. Thank you for your endless amount of compliments and for always having my back. Thank you. I love you. I'm so proud to call you my husband. vi vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements iv Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Chapter 2 Information disclosure, trust and health risks in online dating 25 Chapter 3 Taking it to the next level: The negligible role of trust when online dating goes offline 41 Chapter 4 Are sex differences in mating strategies overrated? Sociosexual orientation as a dominant predictor in online dating strategies 59 Chapter 5 Love hurts: Addressing hurtful events within online dating environments 77 Chapter 6 Verifying identities: The role of third-party reputation information in online dating 99 Chapter 7 "But friends say he's nice": Reputation information as a warranting tool in online dating General discussion References
Frontiers in Education, 2022
Parents sharing information about their children on social network sites (SNSs) (i.e., sharenting... more Parents sharing information about their children on social network sites (SNSs) (i.e., sharenting) is common today. However, previous work confronting parents’ and adolescents’ views on sharenting and related privacy concerns is limited. Therefore, the present study scrutinizes parents’ motives for sharenting and adolescents’ attitudes toward sharenting and negotiated privacy management strategies. Communication Privacy Management (CPM) was used as a theoretical framework. Based on 30 semi-structured interviews, two motives for sharenting were identified. Parents share information about their adolescent children because they are proud of their offspring or to inform family and friends. In turn, adolescents’ approval of their parents’ sharenting behavior depends on the content parents disclose online. Adolescents perceive sharenting as positive as long as they are nicely portrayed and positive events are shared. Additionally, both adolescents and parents are concerned about the child...
Behaviour & Information Technology, 2013
ABSTRACT Adolescent sexting – the electronic swapping of sexually intimate texts or images – has ... more ABSTRACT Adolescent sexting – the electronic swapping of sexually intimate texts or images – has attracted significant media and policy attention. However, questions remain about the predictors of this phenomenon, in which mobile phones play a central role in adolescents’ exploration of sexuality. Therefore, a survey involving 498 adolescents aged between 15 and 18 years was conducted. A first aim of this study is to determine the predictive value of personal attitudes, subjective norm and perceived control by applying the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). As a second aim, we wish to assess the relative importance of the most salient beliefs underpinning the TPB components, since this will allow us to gain a more nuanced insight into the characteristics of adolescent sexting. Analyses reveal that subjective norm is the most important predictor, followed by adolescents’ attitudes towards sexting. Perceived behavioural control is significantly but weakly associated with teenagers’ sexting intentions. Within subjective norm, friends and romantic partners represent the most important sources of social pressure, while only positive behavioural outcomes are found to affect adolescents’ sexting intentions. The most important control belief affecting adolescents’ intention to sext is the belief that it occurs relatively more often among those whom adolescents feel they can trust entirely.
Celebrity Studies, 2019
ABSTRACT Reality-TV stars are oftentimes confronted with harsh and insulting comments, a phenomen... more ABSTRACT Reality-TV stars are oftentimes confronted with harsh and insulting comments, a phenomenon known as online celebrity bashing. Existing research on celebrity bashing focused especially on bystanders and perpetrators of this phenomenon and not on the victims. This study aimed to enrich the knowledge on celebrity bashing by interviewing reality-TV stars about their experience and coping with this practise. A total of 13 interviews (N = 13) were conducted among the contestants and experts (participants’ guides through the experiment) across three seasons of a popular Flemish reality-TV programme. The results indicated that all participants had been confronted with bashing comments from the audience during and after broadcasting, with some of them facing quite intense experiences. The participants pointed to the responsibility of the production team, journalists and society in general, for stimulating such bashing comments. Online celebrity bashing generated negative and uncomfortable feelings. Nearly all participants avoided responding to the comments, but mostly opted for cognitive coping strategies, such as relativizing the situation. The results of this study are relevant for prevention and intervention strategies aimed to reduce celebrity bashing practices.
Online dating is characterized by computer-mediated communication (CMC) with a lessened availabil... more Online dating is characterized by computer-mediated communication (CMC) with a lessened availability of physical context cues, limiting online daters to nonverbally express themselves. This restricted amount of available cues generated a scientific research tension between the cues-filtered-in approach and the cues-filtered-out approach. Both theories were developed for CMC environments, yet only some explain self-disclosure and romantic relationship development in online dating. Next, the fact that online dating is initiated through CMC also encompasses enlarged opportunities of online dating profile manipulation. These different forms of deception can potentially harm online daters’ mental and physical health. This chapter gives an in-depth view on all the aforementioned aspects of online dating and will further discuss interpersonal trust development through self-disclosure.
Computers in Human Behavior
Abstract According to the socioemotional selectivity theory, adults place greater emphasis on fin... more Abstract According to the socioemotional selectivity theory, adults place greater emphasis on finding a life partner. As the traditional dating means and opportunities no longer suffice, online dating has become the perfect intermediary to start an offline relationship. This transition from the online to the offline dating sphere is called modality switching. Interestingly, researchers have not yet addressed the personal variables predicting this behavioral dating transition. From an online viewpoint, when purchasing online goods for offline use, online trust has proven to be crucial. From an offline perspective, general trust is key during initial offline encounters because it guides us in our assessment of another individual. However, the combination of these variables with age has not yet been investigated to explain online dating behavior or modality switching. A total sample of 645 individuals (n = 339 online daters) aged between 18 and 73 years completed an online questionnaire. They reported their levels of trust in general and online as well as their modality switching behavior. Results show that age was the overall and only predictor of online dating and continuing the online relationship offline. This research reveals that as individuals grow older, their inclination to switch modalities and date offline increases.
Evolutionary Psychological Science
Past research has extensively focused on sex differences in online dating strategies but has larg... more Past research has extensively focused on sex differences in online dating strategies but has largely neglected sex-related individual difference variables such as sociosexuality. Sociosexuality (i.e., a measure of the number of restrictions people place on sexual relationships) gained attention in the 1990s among social and evolutionary psychologists, but has not been fully embraced by social scientists investigating interpersonal relationships and individual differences. Our aim is to investigate whether previously documented sex differences in mating strategies can be partially explained by sociosexuality, as a proximate manifestation of sex, by replicating a study about motives to use online dating applications, using an online survey. A first MANCOVA analysis (N = 254 online daters) not controlling for sociosexuality showed a significant main effect for age and sex. Adding sociosexuality to this analysis, a significant main effect of sociosexuality appeared indicating that individuals with a preference for unrestricted sexual relationships are more motivated to use online dating for reasons related to casual sex, whereas individuals who prefer restricted sexual relationships are more motivated to use online dating to find romance. Interestingly, the original main effect for sex and the significant interactions were eliminated. We argue that in social scientific research, scholars should pay more attention to sociosexuality when doing research about mating strategies.
Behaviour & Information Technology.
Adolescent sexting – the electronic swapping of sexually intimate texts or images – has attracted... more Adolescent sexting – the electronic swapping of sexually intimate texts or images – has attracted significant media and policy attention. However, questions remain about the predictors of this phenomenon, in which mobile phones play a central role in adolescents’ exploration of sexuality. Therefore, a survey involving 498 adolescents aged between 15 and 18 years was conducted. A first aim of this study is to determine the predictive value of personal attitudes, subjective norms and perceived control by applying the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). As a second aim, we wish to assess the relative importance of the most salient beliefs underpinning the TPB components, since this will allow us to gain a more nuanced insight into the characteristics of adolescent sexting. Analyses reveal that subjective norm is the most important predictor, followed by adolescents’ attitudes towards sexting. Perceived behavioural control is significantly but weakly associated with teenagers’ sexting in...