Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the current study examines the association between cyberchondria and health anxiety in the Pakistani population, with health literacy as a moderator. This study utilized a cross-sectional research approach, with data gathered through simple random sampling. The study enlisted 1295 participants from Pakistan aged between 18 and 70, 63% of whom were male and 36% of whom were female. The researchers found a statistically significant positive link between cyberchondria and health anxiety (β = 0.215; t = 1.052; p 0.000). The moderating influence of health literacy suggests that health anxiety has a significantly negative effect on the relationship between cyberchondria and health anxiety (β = −0.769; t = 2.097; p 0.037). Moreover, females had higher cyberchondria scores than males. Health-related anxiety did not differ between the sexes, and males had greater health literacy than females. These results emphasize the critical role of health literacy in the moderating effects of cyberchondria on health anxiety. Furthermore, they reveal significant gender differences in both cyberchondria and health literacy.

Purpose – This research investigates the correlation between the utilization of social networking sites, user engagement, and cognitive dissonance. It explores the mediating influence of e-compulsive buying behavior (ECBB) in the connection between SNS use, user engagement, and cognitive dissonance, while also examining the moderating impact of self-esteem on SNS use, user engagement, and ECBB. Methodology – Utilizing purposive sampling, this study collected cross-sectional data from 232 female participants actively engaged in social networking sites (SNSs) and who had made 4-5 online purchases during the last six months. Data were gathered through an electronically administered questionnaire. Descriptive data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 21, while SmartPLS version 4.0 was employed to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings – The findings indicate a significant association between the utilization of social networking sites (SNSs) and user engagement with cognitive dissonance and ECBB. Additionally, it was observed that self-esteem played a moderating role in the relationship between SNS use, user engagement, ECBB, and cognitive dissonance, revealing a heightened impact of cognitive dissonance at lower levels of self-esteem. Practical Implications – These results carry implications for implementing interventions aimed at mitigating the adverse consequences associated with social networking site (SNSs) use, thereby fostering favorable mental health outcomes within the community. Moreover, this study offers valuable insights for managers seeking to enhance their social media strategies by analyzing the varied impacts of social media content and understanding the dynamics between posts to engage both active and passive users effectively. Originality/Value – This study contributes to the limited body of empirical research by examining the correlation between social networking site (SNSs) use, user engagement, and cognitive dissonance through the lens of ECBB. Additionally, in response to recent calls from various empirical studies in this field, the inclusion of self-esteem as a moderating variable predicting cognitive dissonance enhances the novelty of this research.

This study is an attempt to observe and analyze the intricate operations of media discourses in the identity construction of “world leader” i.e. Angela Merkel. It highlights that how through the explicit and implicit discourse layers’ construction, the macro and micro semantic structures are created in a newspaper, for portraying the desired positive or negative image of a world leader. The theoretical framework has been structured over the basics of the Van Dijk’s (1980) The Theory of Semantic Macrostructures. The macro- level analysis focuses the core themes and main propositions publicized in the selected data. The micro-level analysis concentrates on the lexicalization and syntactic patterns employed by media experts in creating the larger positive image as world leader through smaller level discourse language constructions, focusing her social and political posterities. Furthermore, the study highlights the gradually constructed personal, social and political identities’ portrayal of Angela Merkel as a powerful world leader, through the world newspaper articles discourse and discursive practices.