Understanding and Balancing Trade-offs of Visibility in Support Requests
Preferences and Perceptions in Support Request Visibility and
the Trade-offs between Urgency, Privacy, Social Image, and Control of the Situation
Deliverables
Timeline
September 2023 — January 2024
My Role
Designed app prototypes with Adobe XD
Designed scenarios and a survey using Qualtrics
Performed content analysis of open-ended survey questions
Ideated design recommendations
Problems
Online support exchange platforms face a significant lack of support requests compared to offers [1, 2, 3, 4]; need to understand how support request mechanisms for stressful situations that require instrumental support from strangers should be designed
Asking for instrumental support from strangers can be daunting, often accompanied by feelings of shame and embarrassment [5, 6]
[1] Victoria ME Bellotti, Sara Cambridge, Karen Hoy, Patrick C Shih, Lisa Renery Handalian, Kyungsik Han, and John M Carroll. 2014. Towards community-centered support for peer-to-peer service exchange: rethinking the timebanking metaphor. In Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on human factors in computing systems. 2975–2984.
[2] Tawanna R Dillahunt and Amelia R Malone. 2015. The promise of the sharing economy among disadvantaged communities. In Proceedings of the 33rd annual ACM conference on human factors in computing systems. 2285–2294.
[3] Eva Ganglbauer, Geraldine Fitzpatrick, Özge Subasi, and Florian Güldenpfennig. 2014. Think globally, act locally: a case study of a free food sharing community and social networking. In Proceedings of the 17th ACM conference on Computer supported cooperative work & social computing. 911–921.
[4] Joey Chiao-Yin Hsiao, Sylvia Darling, and Tawanna R Dillahunt. 2023. How Recent Migrants Develop Trust Through Community Commerce: The Emergence of Sociotechnical Adaptation. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction 7, CSCW1 (2023), 1–24.
[5] Elena Agapie, Lucas Colusso, Sean A Munson, and Gary Hsieh. 2016. Plansourcing: Generating behavior change plans with friends and crowds. In Proceedings of the 19th ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work & Social Computing. 119–133.
[6] Eugenia Ha Rim Rho, Oliver L Haimson, Nazanin Andalibi, Melissa Mazmanian, and Gillian R Hayes. 2017. Class confessions: Restorative properties in online experiences of socioeconomic stigma. In Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 3377–3389.
What are the preferences and perceptions around
the approaches to making support requests within online support exchange networks?
the approaches to making support requests within online support exchange networks?
How might online support exchange platforms be designed to reduce the psychological barriers to seeking help?
Secondary Research
Common Approaches of Asking for Help
Private Requests
(Lowest Visibility)
(Lowest Visibility)
Approach
Support seekers fill out standardized templates; moderators review submitted requests and match support seekers with helpers
Pros
Reduce privacy concerns, fear of negative judgement, and stigma attached to disclosing distress [1, 2, 3]
Public Indirect Requests
(Moderate Visibility)
(Moderate Visibility)
Approach
Support seekers communicate their needs to moderators, who then disseminate this information to other community members
Pros
Reduce negative feelings of being indebted to others’ reciprocity and the chances of harming one's social image [4]
Increase potential helpers’ trust in support seekers [5]
Public Direct Requests
(High Visibility)
(High Visibility)
Approach
Individuals directly post and ask for their needs from the community
Pros
If others’ distress disclosures are visible, individuals can find it psychologically easier to seek support [6]
Visibility Affordance
A social media affordance with which the user believes how easily the content can be found and viewed by others
Levels of visibility can affect disclosure behaviors in online communities
[1] Kristen Barta and Nazanin Andalibi. 2021. Constructing Authenticity on TikTok: Social Norms and Social Support on the" Fun" Platform. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction 5, CSCW2 (2021), 1–29.
[2] Jennifer G Kim, Kristen Vaccaro, Karrie Karahalios, and Hwajung Hong. 2017. "Not by Money Alone" Social Support Opportunities in Medical Crowdfunding Campaigns. In Proceedings of the 2017 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing. 1997–2009.
[3] David L Vogel, Nathaniel G Wade, and Ashley H Hackler. 2007. Perceived public stigma and the willingness to seek counseling: The mediating roles of self-stigma and attitudes toward counseling. Journal of counseling psychology 54, 1 (2007), 40.
[4] Nazanin Andalibi, Margaret E Morris, and Andrea Forte. 2018. Testing waters, sending clues: Indirect disclosures of socially stigmatized experiences on social media. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction 2, CSCW (2018), 1–23.
[5] Xiayu Chen, Qian Huang, Robert M Davison, and Zhongsheng Hua. 2015. What drives trust transfer? The moderating roles of seller-specific and general institutional mechanisms. International Journal of Electronic Commerce 20, 2 (2015), 261–289.
[6] Nazanin Andalibi. 2020. Disclosure, privacy, and stigma on social media: Examining non-disclosure of distressing experiences. ACM transactions on computer-human interaction (TOCHI) 27, 3 (2020), 1–43.
Method
Designing scenarios and Interventions
Three scenarios requiring different instrumental support: money, child care, and a place to stay
Scenario 1: You opened your credit card statement for this month, the bill is twice as large as it usually is. It turns out the bank didn't process your payment from last month. In addition to a $100 late fee, you have been charged a 22% interest rate on last month's bill. You are unsure whether you can afford to pay off the entire bill this month. If you do not, you will again be charged a high interest rate on the remaining amount, which could total well over $1000. You want to ask someone to borrow some money to help manage this unexpected financial strain.
Scenario 2: It's Wednesday afternoon, and you've just received an interview offer from the company you applied to. This last minute interview is scheduled tomorrow at 9 AM that you absolutely can't miss. You get a call from your regular babysitter, informing you that she got the flu and won't be able to watch your 5-year-old son, Max, tomorrow. With your partner out of town and no immediate family nearby, you're in a bind. You want to ask someone to look after your child for a few hours.
Scenario 3: The contractors inform you that for the next three days, your water and electricity will be shut off, making it nearly impossible to stay at home. You start searching local AirBnB listings and nearby hotel rates. The least expensive hotel room you can find is going for \$250 a night, and the only available AirBnB property is a luxury apartment listed at a pricy rate. You want to ask someone if they have a spare room where you could crash for a few nights.
Interventions for Support Requests Visibility
Highly Visible, Moderately Visible, and Less Visible Interventions
Method
Conducting the Survey Study
Conducted using Qualtrics and utilized its feature to prevent multiple submissions
The survey link was shared on Facebook's local neighbor support groups in the United States, with prior approval from the group moderators
To deter bot entries, a reCAPTCHA and a honeypot question were included
Screening questions to exclude those who are (1) not in any neighbor support group, (2) under 18, and (3) outside the United States
Asked participants to read each scenario and select the intervention they preferred to seek support and to articulate the reasons behind their choices
Excluded responses that (1) failed the screening criteria, (2) were identified as bots, (3) were duplicates, and (4) were of low quality, with one-word responses, random characters, or irrelevant to the given scenario
The sample included 93 participants, consisting of 47 males and 46 females; 76% self-identified as Caucasian/White; 64% had at least a two-year college degree; 57% were aged between 18 and 24; and 42% had a household income ranging from $50,000 to $74,999; 64 gave an explanation for why they preferred the intervention they chose
Method
Thematic Analysis of Survey Responses
We individually performed open coding, made an affinity diagram to group codes and create themes, and collectively generated a codebook
1. Me and my collaborator familiarized ourselves with the data and independently developed initial codes using Dovetail
2. We then shared, reviewed, and refined their initial coding (e.g., adding, removing, or integrating codes) and performed axial coding to consolidate relevant codes under overarching themes
3. A consensus on codes and themes was reached through iterative discussions
Findings
Effectiveness in Getting Support
Promptness
Participants felt they could receive support more promptly through more visible support requests (n=16 for high visibility; n=14 moderate visibility), noting that less visible support requests could incur delays from moderators responding late, the wait time for a response from helpers assigned by moderators, or the possibly limited availability of these designated helpers
“going through the moderator might be a little bit late, for he/she might be busy when the message gets to him/her before sending to the group.”
- P33, High
“it is the fastest and most efficient method available...allows me to get help from the group without having to make an appointment or wait for someone to respond”
- P52, High
“if someone else had already used up all of their time...or if there were other circumstances preventing them from being able to meet with me immediately...then...my request for support might not be fulfilled until later in the day or even tomorrow?which is not always ideal when you need something as soon as possible”
- P62, High
Nine participants said they could get support immediately in the highly visible request setting for the larger audience of potential helpers. Some mentioned that this could result in a broader range of options
“I would get faster response as a lot of persons would see the request...and I’ll get a variety of choices”
- P16, High
Assurance
Some participants preferred low visibility requests, emphasizing the personalized and targeted nature of such requests, which provides a sense of assurance that their request will be met
“I would like to go through the moderator, because he/she might know the people who can actually help me out with the help I’m seeking for”
- P33, Low
Owing to a personal approach to asking for help, some expected increased empathy and a favorable response to their low visibility requests
“easier for others to empathize and offer assistance”
- P39, Low
“I can talk directly...about what’s going on and make sure that the person on the other end...understands my situation”
- P62, Low
Findings
Convenience
Information Clarity
Owing to the standardized, predefined form, 20 participants perceived the lowest visibility intervention to be easy and convenient and could deliver more precise information, increasing the likelihood of getting support
“it is easier to keep track of all the information that needs to be shared”
- P55, Low
“This allows us to reduce the risk of miscommunication and misunderstanding”
- P54, Low
17 participants favored a moderately visible approach due to its real-time moderator interaction, which improved information clarity and allowed for more accurate expression of needs and emotions, enhancing comfort levels
“If there are any issues with my request, I will be able to respond quickly and fix any problems that may arise”
- P63, Moderate
“this is the best way to give the most accurate and detailed information about what I need help...easier for me to convey my emotions”
- P56, Moderate
“it allows me to see the person I'm talking to, which helps make me more comfortable”
- P59, Moderate
Directness
14 participants preferred the direct approach of the highly visible intervention
“direct and easier” - P40, High
“simpler and more convenient” - P50, High
“straightforward” - P37, High
As they could personally post their requests in the highly visible intervention, they believed they can have increased level of control, making support exchange processes more predictive
“It also allows me to have more control over the situation”
- P51, High
“It's easier because I'll just have to post something and wait for the responses. This way, I'll see if I can get the help I need”
- P46, High
Findings
Privacy vs. Community Belonging
Privacy
Participants preferred less visible requests for privacy concerns (n=17 for low visibility; n=9 for moderate visibility)
“more private” - P2, Low
“make sure I'm safe” - P15, Low
“I don't want anyone to know my identity” - P8, Moderate
“a sense of security with the involvement of third party”
- P42, Moderate
Some of them felt that the highly visible condition posed a risk to their privacy, as their distress could be publicly disclosed in too much detail in the comment section when arranging support exchanges
“I would have to deal with the potential for people responding with questions or comments that risk revealing too much about my own personal situation”
- P60, Low
The increased privacy afforded by less visible formats was perceived as a means to alleviate concerns about social image and the fear of negative judgments, making people more able to openly disclose their distress
“you can get the information you need without having to worry about what other people might think of your request for help”
- P54, Moderate
“it allows me to be more open about my situation without fear of being judged by someone who knows me personally”
- P51, Low
Community Belonging
Some participants perceived that the high visibility of support requests could give them an opportunity to connect with others in similar situations, thereby broadening the scope of support exchanges beyond themselves and including emotional support as well
”I can...post updates, and get feedback from other people who are involved in the same situation as me...so that we can provide support for one another”
- P61, High
”if we were able to talk about it together and support each other, we might be able to feel better”
- P53, High
”I believe in the power of community. I believe that when we come together, we can accomplish so much more than we could accomplish alone...be surrounded by people who have been where I am and understand my struggle, and to have them guide me...I have benefited from the support of others in similar situations as me...it was such a relief to know that there were others out there who understood”
- P57, High
Participants also believed that they could learn how to offer support to others by observing others' support exchanges in a highly visible condition
“I want to learn how...to be better at helping others. I think it will help me become a better friend and family member”
- P58, High
Implications
Navigating the Trade-offs of Private and Public Requests
Privacy vs. Immediate Response
There are trade-offs between private and public requests. While private requests can preserve privacy and self-image, public requests can lead to more immediate fulfillment of needs and positive interactions with others facing similar challenges
Recommendation
Systems could offer support seekers in public support seeking settings increased visibility control to address concerns about disclosing private information and threats to social image in highly visible support requests
e.g., an option to decide whether their replies are visible to everyone or only to the user who commented,
control the audience targeted by their requests
Community Belonging vs. Social Costs
Our participants expected that increased empathy would lead to favorable responses to their requests
Individuals often believe that those with whom they have stronger ties will be more empathetic and less judgmental towards their support requests [1, 2, 3]
Future Implications
If an individual has a stronger sense of community belonging, are they more likely to seek support despite perceived social costs of asking for help?
[1] Silvia Dominguez. 2011. Getting ahead: Social mobility, public housing, and immigrant networks. NYU Press
[2] JoDee Keller and Katherine McDade. 2000. Attitudes of low-income parents toward seeking help with parenting: Implications for practice. Child welfare (2000), 285–312
[3] Debra Winter and Chuck Huff. 1996. Adapting the Internet: Comments from a women-only electronic forum. The American Sociologist 27, 1 (1996), 30–54
Implications
Enhancing Perceived Control and Predictability of Support Requests
Discovered Benefits
Low and Moderate Visibility
• Precise information delivery from standardized forms
• Interaction with moderators can increase comfort
High Visibility
• Increased control over situations and predictability
• Rapid support exchange process
Recommendations for the All Approaches
A chatbot (interactiveness) that asks for details needed for support requests could be useful (for precise information delivery), assist in formulating them, and alleviate delays caused by moderators' response times (promptness)
Future research to evaluate whether help-seekers experience a similar level of interactiveness with chatbots as they do with human moderators
Show the number of users who have submitted similar requests in the past and received support and the average time taken for requests to be fulfilled for predictability
Recommendations for Low and Moderate Visibilities
A progress bar showing whether moderators have reviewed their requests, the progress in matching them with potential helpers, if the matched helper has reviewed and confirmed to meet their requests, and an estimated timeline for the helper to make contact
Recommendations for Moderate Visibility
Allow seekers to view, edit, or delete their requests upon discussions with moderators and to control who could see their requests
Implications
Facilitating Learning to Offer Support
Recipient Value Recognition: Encouraging Support Requests from Recipients, Helpers, and Lurkers
Participants believed that highly visible support requests allowed them to improve their own ability to offer support to others in the community. This is pertinent to self-efficacy in providing support, which can increase the willingness to ask for help as well as the willingness to help others. When individuals feel confident about their ability to contribute back to their community, they tend to feel more comfortable asking for help from it.
Recommendations
Showcase prior successful support exchanges, with approval from the involved parties, to help users understand community norms around support-seeking and provision
By making past successful support exchanges visible, platforms can alleviate psychological barriers to asking for help, enhance collective efficacy, and potentially increase community participation