/library/oar/handle/123456789/106377 2025-11-09T15:07:24Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/106746 Title: Nudging sustainable fashion : how behavioural economics influence consumers pro-environmental clothing shopping online Abstract: This study analyzes how informational nudge marketing tools applied in fashion e-commerce are viewed from the consumer’s perspective. Additionally, it investigates how pre-existing environmental awareness influences the effectiveness of such a communication tool in promoting sustainable fashion choices over fast fashion. The literature discusses the use of behavioural sciences applied to increase sustainable consumption and its potential to decrease harmful consumer behaviour in the field of fashion. The study adopted a qualitative approach that included a semi-structured focus group that allowed 14 participants to reflect on their thoughts regarding sustainability and textual and visual nudging methods. The focus group used open-ended questions to understand how individuals perceive the use of visual and textual nudging while shopping for garments online through generated example images. Moreover, the questions analyzed how consumers understand the current environmental impact of the fashion industry in order to see if there is a connection between environmental awareness and the effect of pro-environmental nudges. The findings are thematically analyzed to reveal how the individuals find that informational nudge marketing tools can influence their fashion purchases. The research finds that participants believe that informational nudges can impact their purchasing choices. However, finances and trendiness significantly influence fashion purchases, implying that garment purchases are a more conscious behaviour that influences the extent to which pro-environmental nudges can be effective. To conclude, the study expresses suggestions for further research, the study’s limitations and advice on future market implementation. Organizations aiming to include nudging tools to promote sustainable fashion should assess whether they utilize visual or textual tools depending on their house style aesthetic and customer preference. Moreover, the overt use of nudging tools such as reminders can result in overstimulation and customer annoyance, so nudging should be used with caution. Description: B.Comms. (Hons)(Melit.) 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/106726 Title: An exploration of a Maltese audience’s role in the dissemination of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation through social media Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate whether COVID-19 vaccine misinformation is present among a Maltese Facebook audience, as well as to explore the ways in which digital communities engage with online news and misinformation, all while facing the effects of a global pandemic. Investigative netnography was used to select posts published on the Times of Malta Facebook page between January and June 2021. Comments directly referring to the vaccine were collected, together with Facebook analytics representing audience engagement. The collected linguistic discourse was analysed using critical discourse analysis, thereby extracting contextual meaning from the interaction between social media users. The findings revealed the presence of misinformation in user comments, despite the audience’s attitude towards the COVID-19 vaccine seemingly being balanced. Misinformation was identified in relation to four areas of vaccine misperception: safety, efficacy, function, and immunity. The results also indicate that there is a connection between vaccine misinformation, and poor scientific and media literacy skills. Furthermore, social media audiences do engage with and react to perceived misinformation: often in agreement or disagreement, or to offer corrections. Description: B.Comms. (Hons)(Melit.) 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/106721 Title: Once upon a time right now : a critical analysis of the representation of the female lead characters in Disney’s feature length animated films Abstract: The aim of this research is to find out whether the representation of Disney female lead characters in feature-length animated films has evolved throughout the years. This was done by looking at and comparing the three different eras of Disney princesses: First Era (1937 – 1959), Second Era (1989 – 1998), Third Era (2009 – Ongoing). In order to collect the required data, I chose to analyse four Disney princess films by conducting a thematic analysis. The chosen films are: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Aladdin (1992), Moana (2016), and Encanto (2021). Moreover, four main themes emerged from the analysis: personality, appearance, relationships which is further divided into: love, hate, and saving, and aspirations. It was evident that while in the First Era and in certain themes of the Second Era, female characters were rather stereotypical, nonetheless, in the Third Era female characters became androgynous. Description: B.Comms. (Hons)(Melit.) 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/106695 Title: Novella writing project : exploring personal communication within, and external communication around a creative writing project Abstract: This dissertation is an endeavour to explore grief through the production of a creative nonfiction multimedia novella. It documents the writing of Love Letters and Eulogies and analyses the book through the lens of academic research. Intertextuality, the use of music in narrative storytelling (with special reference to aural and visual punctum), and how grief interacts with creativity and genre theory, are of significant importance in this project. Since the novella was written before the literature research was conducted, this write-up acts as more of a review and analysis of how grief presents itself in the narrative, the creative decisions, and the design choices of the production. The story of Love Letters and Eulogies follows a narrator documenting his emotions surrounding his boyfriend’s suicide in a grief journal. This is supported with carefully chosen song lyrics that act as chapter titles, and QR codes for their respective songs. These allow a reader to interact with the story auditorily, adding an extra dimension not common in more standard novels and novellas. Description: B.Comms. (Hons)(Melit.) 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z