We conducted a questionnaire survey of personal blog authors (N = 1,434) and examined two hypothesized models using structural equation modeling to clarify the psychological and social process associated with why authors continue to write their blogs. Two final models with good fit were obtained. It was confirmed that being satisfied with benefits to self, relationships with others, and skill in handling information had significant positive effects on the intention to continue blog writing. The psychological traits of private self-consciousness, reassurance-seeking, and information need were hypothesized to be effective in establishing consciousness of the benefits; these also had significant positive effects. In contrast, only positive feedback had a significant influence on satisfaction related to information handling skill, whereas both negative and positive feedback had significant influences on satisfaction related to information handling skill. This suggests that communication with readers who gave positive feedback strongly encouraged blog authors to continue writing. Similarities and differences between the two models and recommendations for further theoretical development are discussed.
Five kinds of product search HTML pages -a four-level hierarchy (3 x 3 x 3 x 3), a three-level hierarchy (9 x 3 x 3), a two-level hierarchy (27 x 3), a one-level hierarchy (81 x 1), and a frame structure (9 x 3 x 3)were prepared. Two kinds of task, a simple task and a complex task, were prepared. For the most complex task, a total of 22 clicks were required to complete the task. Then the subjects were asked to search for products over the Internet. They were also asked to evaluate ease of use of the web pages. A total of 89 subjects accessed the experimental pages. The access log was later statistically analyzed. The results were very productive. In most advanced research up to now it has been shown that reducing the number of hierarchies and increasing the amount of information in one screen can reduce the task performance time. Our test results have also shown that this is what happens when a complex task is performed. However, a different conclusion is drawn when a simple task is performed. When a simple task is performed, there were no significant differences in the search time required, whether there were 81 products included in one screen (81 x 1), or in a four-level hierarchy (3 x 3 x 3 x 3). In this case, more people evaluated the four-level hierarchy as being easier to use than a one-level hierarchy. In this study it was found that task performance times and ease of use depend on task complexity and they were not always directly related.
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