Exploring the Incentive Function of Virtual Academic Degrees in a Chinese Online Smoking Cessation Community:...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Behavioral Science
• Online Communities

Background:

• Online smoking cessation communities (OSCCs) support smoking cessation through behavior influence and social support.
• The incentive function of OSCCs, particularly digital incentives, is understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the incentive function of virtual academic degrees within a Chinese OSCC.
• To understand how digital incentives promote smoking cessation in the "Smoking Cessation Bar" on Baidu Tieba.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative coding of 1193 discussions about virtual academic degrees from 540 members.
• Data collected from November 2012 to November 2021.
• Analysis guided by motivational affordances theory.

Main Results:

• Five key discussion topics identified: intention, application, goal accomplishment, interpersonal interaction, and personal feelings.
• Interpersonal interaction (51.59%) and sharing behavior (27.49%) were prominent.
• Positive personal feelings were expressed, though negative emotions might have been concealed.

Conclusions:

• Virtual academic degrees enhance self-presentation and self-efficacy for smoking cessation.
• These incentives foster social bonds, interaction, and positive emotions.
• Nonfinancial rewards can boost participation and sustainability in cessation programs.