Date of Award

January 2015

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Computer Graphics Technology

First Advisor

Mihaela Vorvoreanu

Committee Member 1

James E Dietz

Committee Member 2

Timothy R Peoples

Abstract

This study examines how the interface elements of organizational Facebook pages affect student perceptions of core organization-public relationship dimensions. Organizations are increasingly using Facebook as a platform for building and maintaining relationships with their publics. University students are a major user group on Facebook, which makes understanding their experiences on the platform vital. This study provides a review of the relevant literature regarding social media, organization-public relationship building and management, and user experience in order to build a case for the necessity of this study. 15 students were interviewed while visiting an organization’s Facebook page using an adapted form of a research protocol called website experience analysis. The results of the study explain the ways in which university students experience Facebook pages and the interface elements that influence perception of trust, commitment, involvement, openness, and dialogue. This research examined the flexibility and utility of the website experience analysis protocol for studying experiences on Facebook pages.

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