In Germany, the Internet is gaining increasing importance for laypeople as a source of health information, including information about vaccination. While previous research has focused on the characteristics of online information about vaccination, this study investigated the influence of relevant user-specific cognitive factors on users' search behavior for online information about vaccination. Additionally, it examined how searching online for information about vaccination influences users' attitudes toward vaccination. We conducted an experimental study with 56 undergraduate students from a German university that consisted of a survey and eye-tracking while browsing the Internet, followed by a content analysis of the eye-tracking data. The results show that the users exposed themselves to balanced and diverse online information about vaccination. However, none of the examined cognitive factors (attitude toward vaccination, attitude salience, prior knowledge about vaccination, need for cognition, and cognitive involvement) influenced the amount of time users spent searching the Internet for information about vaccination. Our study was not able to document any effects of attitude-consistent selective exposure to online information about vaccination. In addition, we found no effect on attitude change after having searched the Internet for vaccine-related information. Thus, users' search behavior regarding vaccination seems to be relatively stable.

This article examines the relative importance of personal, descriptive, and injunctive norms for adolescents’ self-presentation on Instagram and analyzes the role of proximal and distal reference groups in norm negotiation. Based on 27 semi-structured interviews with German Instagram users between 14 and 19 years old, we identified four types of adolescents’ self-presentation that differ in terms of norms and referent others: authentic, self-confident, self-staged, and audience-oriented self-presentation. In addition, our study demonstrates that adolescents engage in reflective norm breaches when coping with conflicting self-presentation norms. These results highlight the crucial role of both adolescents themselves and their proximal and distal reference groups for norm negotiation.

Optofluidics is increasingly gaining impact in a number of different fields of research, namely biology and medicine, environmental monitoring and green energy. However, the market for optofluidic products is still in the early development phase. In this manuscript, we discuss modular platforms as a potential concept to facilitate the transfer of optofluidic sensing systems to an industrial implementation. We present microfluidic and optical networks as a basis for the interconnection of optofluidic sensor modules. Finally, we show the potential for entire optofluidic networks.

This study examines the ambitions of proactive crisis communication in the realm of international conflicts. Based on the concept of peace journalism, the authors analyse whether German media coverage on international conflicts complies with normative demands. So far, most studies have investigated the media’s role during the climactic stages of conflicts and have neglected the pre- and post-escalation phases. Therefore, the study distinguishes four specific phases of a conflict. With regard to news value theory, it shows that international conflicts exhibit different news factors in their particular phases; in addition, it illustrates that the propositions of peace journalism, although considered relevant by journalists, are hardly being fulfilled in their day-to-day conflict reporting. Combining content analytical research with semi-structured interviews proves to be fruitful for critically reflecting the demands of proactive crisis communication.

Do people prefer information that is consistent with their own attitude and avoid contradicting information? Which individual and societal effects arise of selective exposure to confirming information? These questions are examined in research on theories of consistency and selective exposure. The book outlines the central theoretical assumptions, exemplifies typical research designs and commonly applied methods and reviews the state of research from the early social-psychological research until current debates about the emergence of echo chambers and filter bubbles in social media. Conclusively, alternative explanatory approaches for the systematic preference of information are presented. The book is suitable as textbook for students and lecturers of communication studies as well as an introductory reading for communication practitioners and other interested parties.