NIMS - Dissertações de Mestrado em Marketing Analítico (Data-Driven Marketing)
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- Attached After Logging Off: How Social Media Reduction Transforms Consumer-Brand RelationshipsPublication . Lopes, Miguel Mesquita Seixas; Neves, Joana Paisana Pires Costa dasThe widespread use of social media platforms in modern society has intensified concerns regarding their psychological and behavioral effects, particularly in relation to emerging phenomena such as the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO). While FoMO has been shown to influence individual well-being, identity formation, and consumer-brand interactions, a growing trend of reduced social media usage raises new questions about how these dynamics evolve in contexts of digital disconnection. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates how social media discontinuance affects consumers’ emotional and behavioral relationships with brands, focusing on brand loyalty, consumer engagement, perceived value, and purchase intention. Additionally, FoMO is examined as an antecedent of discontinuance intention, and brand attachment as a moderating factor in these relationships. A quantitative survey was conducted using validated measurement scales, and the data was analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that social media discontinuance does not significantly reduce brand loyalty or perceived value, but has a positive effect on consumer engagement, suggesting more intentional and selective interactions with brands. Furthermore, brand loyalty, consumer engagement, and perceived value emerge as key drivers of purchase intention. The results also demonstrate that brand attachment plays a significant moderating role, with the effects of discontinuance varying depending on the strength of consumers’ emotional bonds with the brand. Overall, the study suggests that decreasing social media usage does not necessarily weaken consumer-brand relationships, but rather transforms how they are sustained, highlighting the importance of fostering deeper emotional connections beyond continuous digital exposure.
- Artificial Intelligence and Misinformation: User Responses to AI-Generated NewsPublication . Pombal, Madalena Maria Baptista Gonçalves Serrasqueiro; Rohden, Simoni FernandaThis dissertation examines how individuals respond to AI-generated news content, focusing on their ability to distinguish between factual information and misinformation, as well as the psychological mechanisms underlying belief formation and sharing behavior. As generative artificial intelligence becomes increasingly capable of producing realistic and persuasive content, concerns have emerged regarding its potential to amplify misinformation and influence public perception. To address this issue, this study adopts an experimental research design comparing user reactions to AI-generated factual news and AI-generated misinformation. Two studies were conducted using online survey-based experiments. Study 1 provided limited evidence due to an unsuccessful manipulation, while Study 2 introduced improvements to the experimental materials, resulting in a successful manipulation and more reliable findings. The results indicate that exposure to AI-generated factual news leads to higher levels of belief and sharing intention compared to AI-generated misinformation. Mediation analyses further reveal that confirmation bias and perceived social consensus play a central role in shaping user responses. Confirmation bias fully mediates the relationship between content type and both belief and sharing intentions, while social consensus partially or fully mediates these effects depending on the outcome variable. These findings suggest that individuals rely less on objective content characteristics and more on cognitive and social cues when evaluating AI-generated information. The study contributes to literature by isolating the effect of content veracity while holding authorship constant and offers implications for digital literacy, platform governance, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence in information environments.
- Citizen Perceptions on Digital Government Platforms: Factors Driving Satisfaction with E-government ServicesPublication . Mete, Idil Güneş; Neves, Maria de Fátima dos Santos TrindadeDespite the rapid expansion of e-government platforms, citizen satisfaction remains uneven, particularly due to tensions between autonomy, convenience, and privacy concerns. This thesis explores the technical attributes and psychological drivers that shape public approval in electronic governance frameworks. Specifically, it examines how perceived autonomy and data security influence satisfaction through the mediating roles of perceived convenience and institutional trust, while accounting for the impact of privacy concerns and voluntariness. Through a quantitative research framework, 232 responses were collected from the e-government user base via online channels. The research utilized Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4 to validate the relationships between variables and explore potential mediation effects. The results indicate that Perceived Autonomy is a powerful predictor of Perceived Convenience, which in turn significantly enhancesCitizen Satisfaction. Similarly, Perceived Data Security strongly fosters Trust in E-government, serving as a secondary pathway to satisfaction. While Perceived Voluntariness positively influenceswith satisfaction, Privacy Concerns act as a significant negative friction point. The model explains 48.6% of the variance in citizen satisfaction. By integrating concepts from Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2), this research provides a nuanced understanding of the "useras-co-creator" role in public services. These findings suggest that policymakers and digital service designers should prioritize both functional efficiency and perceived user control to enhance engagement and long-term adoption. Overall, the study demonstrates that technical efficiency (convenience) and psychological safety (trust/privacy) must be balanced to achieve the promised gains of digital transformation.
- Beyond the Scroll: A SOBC based investigation of social media stimuli, user strains and reduction intentionsPublication . Silva, Ana Mafalda Costa; Neves, Joana Paisana Pires Costa dasSocial media is becoming a new element in daily life with increased pervasiveness. Globally, it is understood that it contains a lot of psychological and well-being negative sides, with a trend of users wanting to disconnect with the goal of having a better lifestyle. Despite extensive research on social media usage, existing studies remain fragmented and primarily focus on isolated outcomes, lacking an integrative perspective that explains how platform-driven stimuli influence psychological states and motivate users to reduce their engagement. The goal of this research is to understand which social media stimuli have the greatest impact on users’ psychological states and how these states contribute to the motivation to reduce or disconnect from social media. The study used a mixed-methods approach, combining an exploratory qualitative phase based on semi-structured interviews (n = 14) with a subsequent quantitative analysis (n = 279), in which Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to develop and empirically test the proposed research model. The findings reveal that social media stimuli shape users’ psychological states, which in turn negatively affect their overall well-being and trigger self-regulatory responses aimed at reducing platform use. This process is further influenced by users’ levels of social media addiction, which can amplify or attenuate how some stimuli are perceived and experienced. The study demonstrates that the challenges associated with social media are not solely related to usage intensity but are strongly driven by platform-specific stimuli, highlighting the need for more responsible design practices that promote user well-being.
- Blockchain Adoption in Marketing Analytics: Enhancing Transparency, Data Integrity, and Operational EfficiencyPublication . Mafra, Gonçalo Maria da Rocha Páris de Azevedo; Rita, Paulo Miguel Rasquinho Ferreira; Oliveira, Pedro Miguel Garcia deThis study examines the adoption of blockchain technology in marketing analytics by applying the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) at the individual level. Although blockchain has been widely explored in fields such as finance and cryptography, its role in marketing remains underexplored. Using a quantitative survey of 298 respondents and analysing the data through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), the study evaluates how perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward blockchain, and trust shape users’ intention to adopt blockchain for analytical purposes. The results show that all proposed relationships are supported. Perceived ease of use strongly predicts perceived usefulness, and both constructs significantly influence attitudes toward blockchain. Attitude emerges as a key determinant of trust, with a strong effect in the model, while both trust and attitude significantly predict intention to use blockchain. These findings provide empirical evidence that blockchain adoption in marketing analytics is primarily driven by users’ cognitive evaluations and trust perceptions. Overall, the study contributes to the literature by offering one of the few empirical examinations of blockchain acceptance in marketing analytics and by validating the relevance of TAM mechanisms in a decentralized, data-intensive technological context.
- A study on the impact of social media influencers on consumers' purchase intention of electric vehiclesPublication . Qingtai, Jiang; Santos, Zélia de Jesus Calvário Raposo dosThe global transition to sustainable transportation has positioned electric vehicles (EVs) as a priority for climate and energy policy. While institutional support is widespread, social media influencers (SMIs) increasingly drive consumer perceptions. Applying the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, this study investigates how SMI credibility and popularity (stimuli) influence perceived green and emotional values (organism), which in turn affect purchase intention (response). Product congruence (PC) and content quality (CQ) are further examined as moderators. Drawing on survey data from China and Portugal (N=298), the research employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS. The analysis uses the PLSSEM algorithm and bootstrapping for hypothesis testing, along with Measurement Invariance of Composite Models (MICOM) to ensure valid Multi-Group Analysis (MGA). The findings reveal that while perceived values strongly drive intentions in both groups, a significant cultural difference exists: content quality significantly boosts purchase intention for Portuguese consumers, whereas its effect is negligible in the Chinese context. These insights offer EV marketers actionable strategies for leveraging influencer attributes across diverse cultural markets.
- From Recommendations to Well-Being: The Influence of AI on Sustainable Consumer DecisionsPublication . Gama, Beatriz do Amaral Brites Baleiras; Rohden, Simoni FernandaThis study explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI)-based recommendations in shaping consumer responses within the context of sustainable consumption. Specifically, it examines how sustainability-oriented versus traditional chatbot recommendations influence consumer trust, purchase intention, and subjective wellbeing. Drawing on a quantitative experimental design, data were collected from 111 participants who were randomly assigned to one of two recommendation scenarios. The findings reveal that the type of recommendation does not exert a statistically significant effect on either purchase intention or subjective well-being, suggesting that sustainability framing alone may be insufficient to drive meaningful changes in consumer behavior. In contrast, trust in AI recommendations emerges as a critical determinant, significantly influencing both behavioral and emotional outcomes. Consumers who perceive AI systems as reliable and credible are more likely to report higher purchase intention and enhanced well-being. Furthermore, environmental awareness plays a significant role, positively affecting both trust and consumer responses, highlighting the importance of individual predispositions in shaping reactions to AI-driven interventions. These results contribute to the literature by challenging assumptions regarding the effectiveness of sustainabilityoriented recommendations and by reinforcing the central role of trust in human–AI interactions. From a managerial perspective, the study underscores the importance of designing transparent, reliable, and user-centered AI systems, rather than relying solely on sustainability cues to influence consumer decision-making
- FOMO and the Fast Fashion ParadoxPublication . Branco, Ana Beatriz Santos Aguiar Lobo; Pinto, Diego Costa; Ferraz, Catarina OliveiraDespite growing awareness of sustainability and ethical consumption, fast fashion remains deeply embedded in digitally mediated consumer routines. This study investigates the role of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) in shaping online fashion engagement and fast fashion purchasing behavior, while also examining the ethical tensions that arise from this relationship. Drawing on Social Comparison Theory, Social Identity Theory, and Self-Discrepancy Theory, the research proposes a conceptual model in which FOMO acts as a key emotional driver, influencing both engagement and consumption, mediated by self-discrepancy and moderated by sustainable and ethical values. A quantitative research design was employed, using a structured online questionnaire answered by 199 participants. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that FOMO has a significant positive effect on both online engagement and fast fashion purchase behavior. Additionally, self-discrepancy was found to mediate the relationship between FOMO and purchasing behavior, suggesting that consumers engage in compensatory consumption to reduce identity-related discomfort. However, self-discrepancy did not significantly influence online engagement. Furthermore, sustainable and ethical values were found to negatively moderate the relationship between FOMO and purchasing behavior, although they did not fully offset its effect. These findings provide empirical support for the fast fashion paradox by demonstrating that FOMO-driven emotional processes can override ethical considerations, leading to increased purchasing despite sustainability concerns. Specifically, the results show that while self-discrepancy translates FOMO into compensatory consumption, it does not extend to online engagement, suggesting that different psychological mechanisms underlie these behaviors. Moreover, although sustainable and ethical values reduce the strength of FOMO’s influence, they are insufficient to fully prevent impulsive purchasing. This highlights the limits of ethical awareness in digitally mediated contexts and underscores the need for marketing and policy interventions that address emotion-driven consumption rather than relying solely on value-based appeals.
- Protein-Washing as a Health Halo Effect in Food Marketing: The Role of Heuristic Processing, Perceived Healthiness, and Consumer MisinterpretationPublication . Duarte, Joana Marçal Verdugo Mendes; Barcellos, Márcia Dutra deThis study examines how protein-related claims influence consumer perceptions and purchase intention, positioning protein-washing as a contemporary manifestation of the health halo effect in food marketing. Drawing on dual-process theory and the health halo literature, the research proposes that protein claims serve as heuristic cues that improve perceived healthiness and, in turn, shape consumer behavior. A betweensubjects experimental design (n = 201) was employed, complemented by an exploratory focus group to capture underlying cognitive mechanisms. Results show that protein claims significantly increase perceived healthiness, supporting the presence of a health halo effect. Mediation analysis indicated that perceived healthiness is consistent with full mediation of the relationship between the claim and purchase intention, highlighting its role in translating heuristic cues into behavioral outcomes. While perceived healthiness significantly predicted trust, this did not translate into a significant sequential mediation effect, suggesting that trust operates as a more fragile, situation-dependent mechanism. Contrary to expectations, nutritional literacy did not moderate the effect of protein claims, with findings showing a discrepancy between perceived and objective knowledge. Qualitative findings reveal that consumers initially rely on front-of-pack cues but reexamine their judgments when exposed to additional information, leading to skepticism. This evidence supports the conceptualization of protein-washing as a conditional, dynamic process in which positive halo effects may be attenuated or reversed through cognitive reassessment. The study adds to theory by refining the mechanisms underlying health halos, proposing the notion of a functional halo, and offering managerial and policy implications for more transparent and effective communication of nutritional information.
- Dynamic Pricing and Sustainability: Impact on Consumer Decisions: Understanding the Influence of Price Fairness, Trust, and Environmental Awareness on Consumer BehaviorPublication . Ferreira, Diogo Miguel Martins; Rohden, Simoni FernandaThe purpose of this study is to examine how dynamic pricing affects consumers' purchase intention and satisfaction toward perishable products. A quantitative experimental method was used, where participants were assigned to either a dynamic pricing or a traditional pricing group randomly, exploring the mediating effects of perceived price fairness and trust on consumers' responses, and the moderating effect of environmental consciousness on their responses. The findings show that dynamic pricing did not significantly affect consumer purchase intention and satisfaction, and both consumer perceived price fairness and trust did not mediate the effect of pricing strategy on consumer outcomes, while they both contributed to predict satisfaction and purchase intention. Consumer environmental consciousness did not moderate the effect of pricing strategy on consumer responses, while its effect on consumers behavioral intention was significant. This reveals that the effectiveness of dynamic pricing may rely heavily on consumers' understanding of its dynamics. Although the fundamental psychological principles, fairness and trust, will be influential in consumers' decision-making. The dynamic pricing mechanism, which this experiment implemented, did not lead to consumers to activate those psychological mechanisms, and also demonstrates the difference between attitudinal and behavioral motivators; consumers were more influenced by fairness and trust on their satisfaction where more by environmental consciousness on their purchase intention. This research makes theoretical implications to the body of knowledge by demonstrating that dynamic pricing cannot always be presumed to benefit customers. It makes managerial implications by addressing the role of communication, disclosure and framing sustainability in implementing pricing strategies. In conclusion, the study is evidence to that effective dynamic pricing needs effective implementation of the strategies beyond how they operate but also creating psychological and value response from the customers.