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You, me, and we: Interpersonal processes in electronic groups
... Understanding how individuals construct their beliefs about the social world and how they engage in the process of identity formation and social identification helps explain how individuals make sense and act upon the world "out there". With the rise of online environments, psychologists have been interested in understanding how the Internet can function as a prime venue for identity formation and social identification processes (McKenna and Seidman, 2005; Amichai-Hamburger and Hayat, 2013), and how these online social spaces might produce new patterns of behaviours. Researchers have sought to explain how computer-mediated communication (CMC) can transform identity perception and self-categorization mechanisms at the individual-level, and how these mechanisms can, in turn, impact identity self-construction (Spears, Lea and Postmes, 2007). ...
... In a series of studies, McKenna and Bargh (1998; argued that cyberspace allows some people to display their stigmatized social identities and bond with others who share the same social stigma. The anonymity of the Internet may make individuals more willing to reveal their "true selves" online (Bargh, Fitzsimons and McKenna, 2003;McKenna and Seidman, 2005;McKenna, 2007). The authors found that people who identified with stigmatized groups were more likely to be involved in newsgroups with similar others, and also considered their belonging to these groups as more important to their identity, as compared to individuals who identified with non-stigmatized groups. ...
... This includes psychological processes that occur within a specific group (i.e., in-group dynamics) and between social groups (i.e., intergroup dynamics). Although online groups have many characteristics in common with physical groups in the real world, digital settings have unique qualities and characteristics (McKenna, Green and Gleason, 2002;McKenna and Seidman, 2005) that make them more effective in faciliting contact, interaction and attachment between anonymous individuals. The Internet is uniquely suited to group formation, insofar as it allows for the creation of a secure environment by cutting geographical distances and creating a shared sense of emotional and intimate proximity akin to face-to-face contact that might otherwise not be possible to achieve. ...
This paper seeks to answer the question: How does social psychology contribute to our understanding of the link between the Internet and violent extremism?
... In the context of this chapter, the situation creates a special opportunity to observe and evaluate people in a relatively "purer" state of being, relatively less distracted by and defensive of stimuli existing in their physical environment, on the one hand, and more directly, closely connected to their selves, on the other. Because of certain characteristics of online interpersonal communication and subsequent relationships, such as anonymity and unidentifiability, McKenna and her associates have argued -and provided research and numerous examples in support of this argument -that people in cyberspace reveal their "true selves" (Bargh, Fitzsimons, & McKenna, 2003;Bargh, McKenna, & Fitzsimons, 2002;McKenna, 2007;McKenna & Bargh, 19982000;McKenna, Green, & Gleason, 2002;McKenna & Seidman, 2005a, 2005b; see also McKenna, Chapter 10). According to this view, while people offline behave and express themselves in ways that are filtered, censored, fabricated, and acted -following several dynamic reasons, such as social norms and sanctions, shame, and guilt feelings -people online feel freer to be closer to their basic personality structure, express their "real me," and actualize psychological and social needs, frequently those that go unsatisfied in their offline environment. ...
... Thus, the very purpose of AC becomes more realistic under these special virtual circumstances, and participants' assessment significantly more valid despite the lack of visual observation by assessors. As commonly takes place in online groups, the very virtual situation makes people in the group, and causes group processes, to be more blunt and saliently (textually) observable (McKenna, 2007;McKenna & Bargh, 1998;McKenna & Seidman, 2005a, 2005b. The dynamics of the online disinhibition effect directly affects people's behavior; hence, their overt behaviors might more validly reflect dispositions, mood, sensitivities, values, needs, and the like than in F2F situations. ...
Introduction For those who regularly surf through cyberspace and experience it as a parallel and not unusual social environment – whether this takes the form of online forums, chat rooms, or personal communication through instant messaging (IM) – it is customary to encounter various types and exhibitions of human behavior. Many Internet surfers, in the beginning, are convinced that most other surfers impersonate, lie, cheat, or at the very least attempt to pull your leg; later, however, it occurs to them that this basic premise is generally wrong. After spending much time in virtual communities, publicly and privately interacting with numerous anonymous individuals, many people start to realize that their behavior in cyberspace reflects their actual personalities or mood states. To their astonishment, as they observe over time other people's gestures, behavioral patterns, writing styles, frequency and intensity of involvement in group situations, personal associations, vocabulary, choice of verbal expressions, netiquette, and other features of their online behavior – all based on textual communication – laypeople realize that they can learn a great amount about themselves and about others. Moreover, it occurs to them that under these circumstances, they could learn even more about many people's personality dispositions, attitudes, moral values, sensitivities, habits, needs, and preferences than in an offline, face-to-face (F2F) environment. This intuitive recognition by many Internet users is consistent with what behavioral theorists and researchers of cyberspace have argued in regard to the emergence of self in cyberspace.
... However, in social network sites, political expressive participation is not displayed in solidarity, instead it becomes a deliberate type of personal information disclosure and public announcement of ideological group membership. These venues host online communities, which are real communities populated by real people, encompassing social interactions which can be and are as rich and as varied as traditional interactions, and produce outcomes that can be as complex as those occur in traditional venues (Kozinets, 2009;McKenna & Seidman, 2005). By construing the individual engaging in online political expressive participation in a social networking site as a community member, performing actions within and together with a social group, we propose that social influence theory may provide a viable theoretical framework to help us better understand the underlying mechanism of citizens' political participation in Twitter. ...
The aim of this research is to contribute to the growing literature on online political participation by seeking a better understanding of the social determinants of action that drive expressive political participation in Twitter. Our results revealed that social influence variables explain a significant portion of variance in online political participation independently from the antecedents identified by prior literature. While social identity and group norms were significantly related with political expressive participation in Twitter, subjective norms had no significant effect. Findings are discussed within the scope of Gezi Park protests and future research directions are suggested.
... The fact of self-disclosure being encouraged mainly via text or voice is explained by the online disinhibition effect [52]. Disinhibitory processes have been theorized to be related to de-individuation [35,101], the emergence of the "true self" [12,84], and several situational factors that include anonymity [78], visual anonymity (invisibility) [53], neutralization of status [20], and lack of eye contact [117,53]. Some studies have applied [31,57,66,106] or extended [32,125,42] the risk-reward (or riskbenefit) trade-off theory 2 -which is based on the concept of behavioral economics-to examine the decision-making mechanism of information disclosure by users in text-based social media. ...
Considering the importance of self-disclosure in building relationships, it is vital to investigate how self-disclosure is affected via avatars in virtual environments, as they are likely to become increasingly popular. Previous work has shown that using avatars increases friendliness and honesty. However, issues such as how and what types of avatars affect self-disclosure and reciprocity have not been fully explored. We conducted a study with 108 participants (54 dyads) discussing a personal topic using one of three communication media: videoconferencing, avatars with avatar-self appearance similarity, or avatars without avatar-self appearance similarity. The results showed that self-disclosure is most encouraged via the avatars without similarity. Reciprocity was formed via both types of avatars but not videoconferencing. Interestingly, although the participants disclosed more about themselves via avatars than via videoconferencing, there was no difference in their subjective experiences. It means that avatar users can disclose more about themselves without being particularly aware that they are using avatars, which suggests the usefulness of avatars to understand people's candid thoughts and feelings. Finally, we discuss the design implications for applications requiring self-disclosure.
... It is this talk or social capital building among community members that builds the social networks and social trust on which community involvement and eventually quality of life thrive. (Kavanaugh & Patterson, 2001, p. 507) Summarizing this stream of research, McKenna and Seidman (2005) suggested that, "if anything, Internet use appears to be bolstering real-world community involvement" (p. 212). ...
First, we off er a conceptual overview that sets out our core terminology of online communities,
social media, and consumer well-being. Providing additional conceptual backbone, we then take a
detour into the real world to examine the theorized role and interrelation of community and sustainability.
We look at research that examines the relation between social media and the alleviation
of various social problems, then defi ne three types of online social change communities (OSCCs).
From there, we broaden our perspective to consider how social media connect to lifestyle-related
issues of environmental orientation or sustainability. We off er a brief description and discussion
of some diff erent social media sites that illustrate our three variants of OSCCs. Th e fi nal section
off ers some important implications of our fi ndings for the understanding of both online communities
and sustainable consumption, for the future conduct of consumer research, as well as for
the related pragmatic concerns of consumer activists and organizers, corporations, legislators, and
others concerned with social and regulatory policies. We develop our notions of social media and
social change through the intermediary element of consumer empowerment. As do many of the
contributors to this book (see, e.g., Mick, Pettigrew, Pechmann, & Ozanne, Chapter 1 of this volume),
we also interrogate the largely neglected role of business academia, and academia in general,
in the process of initiating and sustaining social change. Th e chapter closes with some suggestions
for scholars of TCR that include not only the distanced study of social media but also its application
and daily use in academic life.
... Interpersonelle Online-Kommunikation unterscheidet sich allerdings nicht von der Offline-Kommunikation in ihrer sozialen Einbettung in Gruppenprozesse und Situationen, so dass diesen Rahmungen eine erhebliche Einflussnahme zugesprochen werden muss, die wiederum die Eigenheit der interpersonellen Kommunikation im Web abschwächen oder aufheben kann. 930 Zu Online-Freundschaften lautet der Befund: "First of all, the friendships formed in Cybertown are informal, personal, and private. Secondly, they are chosen rather than enforced. ...
... The online environment can be exploited as a space to express suicide-related emotions due to anonymity and privacy features [32]. When engaging in suicidal communications, people were more likely disclose their true self [33]. This can be a result of the online one-to-one or group disinhibition effect [34][35][36]. ...
Background
Social media and online environments are becoming increasingly popular and integral to modern lives. The online presentation of suicidal behaviors is an example of the importance of communication technologies, and the need for professionals to respond to a changing world. These types of behaviors, however, have rarely been scientifically analyzed. This study aimed to examine the behaviors of both suicide broadcasters and their audience, with attention on prevention/crisis opportunities. Methods
Multiple case studies were employed to explore live-broadcast suicide by Chinese emerging adults (aged 18-25 years). Six cases were selected (four males, two females; aged 19-24, M = 21.60, SD = 2.25), retrieved from 190 public documents (case range = 5 to 32; M = 11.50, SD = 10.37). A qualitative study based on grounded theory was adopted. Information on case background, stages, participants and their behaviors were collected. Results(1) Five stages of blogcast suicide incidents were revealed, including: Signaling, Initial reactions, Live blogcast of suicide attempts, Crisis responses, and Final outcomes. (2) Common behavioral trends (e.g., comforting, verbal abuse) were identified from the blogcast participants (e.g., active audience, peers, parents and police). (3) Suicide blogcasters exhibited tendencies to communicated signs of pain and cries for help. Conclusions
This multi-case study found live presentations of suicidal behaviors offered unique opportunities to respond to suicidal crises, and also to learn more about the relationships between suicidal people and potential help sources. Findings showed many audience members wanted to be helpful but lacked appropriate skills or knowledge. Others engaged in suicide cyberbullying. The social media is an environment in the making. This study revealed that increasing knowledge and skills for crisis response and suicide prevention is needed. Such efforts could lead to empowered netizens and a more hospitable online world.
... In comparison to face-to-face interactions, the anonymity of computer-mediated communications leads to higher levels of self-disclosure. (e.g., Chiou, 2007;Joinson, 2001;McKenna & Seidman, 2005;Newman, Consoli, & Taylor, 1997). This is more so in areas considered sensitive, such as experiences of blackouts from alcohol consumption, sexual disorders, or suicidal intent (e.g., Appleby, 2001;Leider, 1999;Miller & Gergen, 1998;Stern, 2000;Yeaworth, 2001). ...
... From the perspective of uses and gratifications theory (Rubin, 1986), a large number of studies have explored the effect of Internet use on well-being. Although some studies have found no relationship between Internet use and wellbeing (Gross, 2004;Gross, Juvonen, & Gable, 2002;McKenna & Seidman, 2005), others have reported positive (Amichai-Hamburger & Furnham, 2007;Ando & Sakamoto, 2008;Caplan & Turner, 2007;Cotten, 2008;Kang, 2007) or negative (Green et al., 2005;Y.-R. Huang, 2006;van den Eijnden, Meerkerk, Vermulst, Spijkerman, & Engels, 2008;van der Aa et al., 2009) psychosocial outcomes from Internet use. ...
The Internet has been building a new context, in which adolescents and young people complete their academic tasks, do their work, engage in social interaction, and even conduct anonymous identity experimentation. Therefore, it becomes very significant to assess psychological need satisfaction online, and to relate it to well-being. This study investigated the influence on well-being of psychological need satisfaction perceived online and the regulatory role in this relationship of psychological need satisfaction perceived in daily life. A total of 1,727 students from junior and senior high schools and universities in China were surveyed using the Basic Psychological Needs in General scale, the Basic Psychological Needs in the Online World scale, and the Index of Well-Being, Index of General Affect scale. The mean age of the adolescent sample was 17.47 years (ranging from 12.50 to 25.42 years). The results indicated that both need satisfaction perceived online and that perceived in daily life positively predicted psychological well-being, and psychological need satisfaction in daily life qualified the association between psychological need satisfaction perceived online and well-being. In particular, students who perceived higher psychological need satisfaction in daily life were found to benefit from psychological need satisfaction perceived online, but students with low psychological need satisfaction perceived in daily life did not. We suggest that people who perceive lower basic need satisfaction in daily life are more likely to use the Internet for socioaffective regulation and to consider cyberspace as a new world. Thus, need satisfaction perceived online may not transform into “real” happiness.
... However, in social network sites, political expressive participation is not displayed in solidarity, instead it becomes a deliberate type of personal information disclosure and public announcement of ideological group membership. These venues host online communities, which are real communities populated by real people, encompassing social interactions which can be and are as rich and as varied as traditional interactions, and produce outcomes that can be as complex as those occur in traditional venues (Kozinets, 2009;McKenna & Seidman, 2005). By construing the individual engaging in online political expressive participation in a social networking site as a community member, performing actions within and together with a social group, we propose that social influence theory may provide a viable theoretical framework to help us better understand the underlying mechanism of citizens' political participation in Twitter. ...
The aim of this research is to contribute to the growing literature on online political participation by seeking a better understanding of the social determinants of action that drive expressive political participation in Twitter. Our results revealed that social influence variables explain a significant portion of variance in online political participation independently from the antecedents identified by prior literature. While social identity and group norms were significantly related with political expressive participation in Twitter, subjective norms had no significant effect. Findings are discussed within the scope of Gezi Park protests and future research directions are suggested.
... (Barak, 2007b)Questa condizione permette di osservare e valutare gli individui in una dimensione relativamente più "pura" della propria identità e rappresentazione del Sé, in quanto essi risultano essere meno distratti da stimoli esistenti nel loro ambiente fisico, da un lato, e più strettamente collegati "a loro stessi" dall'altro. (Barak, 2008) È per questi motivi, uniti ad un'altra peculiarità quale quella dell'anonimato, che alcuni hanno introdotto il concetto di "true selves", ossia di una molteplicità di Sé reali, che vengono messi in gioco negli spazi online (Bargh, Fitzsimons, e McKenna, 2003;Bargh, McKenna, , Fitzsimons, 2002;McKenna, 2007;McKenna , Bargh, 1998McKenna, Green, e Gleason, 2002;McKenna , Seidman, 2005a, 2005b. Ciò ha, come conseguenza, il fatto che si possano osservare nelle persone modalità di azione diverse on line e in presenza. ...
Il volume si occupa di processi di interazione online, di identità digitali, di comunità virtuali. Il riferimento è ad ambienti e strumenti tecnologici di diverso tipo: forum, blog, Facebook.
Viene analizzato come l'uso di questi strumenti possa essere utilizzato a supporto dell'apprendimento formale e informale; vengono, inoltre, definiti concetti quali blended learning, e-portfoli, tutoraggio online e definito il loro potenziale innovativo. Emergono, così, scenari di interazione complessi, in cui l'incontrarsi online diventa una risorsa per acquisire competenze, apprendere nuove modalità di discussione, nuovi modi di parlare, di sentirsi parte di un gruppo e di esprimere sé stessi. Nel testo si fa riferimento ad esperienze di comunità formali, caratterizzate da obiettivi didattici e fortemente strutturate, ma anche ad esperienze meno formali in cui la comunità si auto-regola.
Identità, apprendimento e comunità vanno, quindi, considerate parole chiavi attraverso la cui disamina è possibile capire la portata innovativa che i nuovi ambienti di comunicazione online stanno apportando alla vita sociale, culturale e privata di coloro che entrano in rete.
Il testo vuole essere un utile strumento per studenti e docenti universitari; tuttavia, grazie al linguaggio semplice e immediato, la sua lettura può offrire spunti interessanti anche a quanti sono interessati a saperne di più sulle dinamiche di costruzione identitaria, di comunicazione e di uso in contesti formativi di ambienti virtuali.
... While extroverts feel comfortable both online and offline, introverts express themselves significantly more freely over the Internet (McKenna, Seidman, Buffardi & Green, 2007). Interacting online, introverts even adopt offline behavior patterns of extroverts (Amichai-Hamburger, Wainapel & Fox, 2002; Maldonado et al., 2001; McKenna & Seidman, 2005) which could be reflected in more active participation in online rather than in offline discussions (McKenna et al., 2007). Research shows that the relationships between people's personality traits and their online behavior may be moderated by type and amount of the Internet use (Anolli, Villani & Riva, 2005), participant demographics (Amichai-Hamburger & Ben-Artzi, 2000; Maldonado et al., 2001), and the sensitivity of discussion topic (Hertel, Schroer, Batinic & Naumann, 2008). ...
The development of digital technologies increases the use of distance synchronous (real-time) interactions among people. The study explores whether the readiness to participate, the degree of actual participation, and the quality of contribution to synchronous online group discussions is affected by participant personality, media characteristics, and discussion topic sensitivity. The relation between anticipated and actual participation was investigated, as well as the interpersonal and gender equalization effects of online communication. An online self-report viral survey was completed by 405 adult Internet users. Following that, 120 volunteers extracted from this sample were randomly assigned to small, gender-mixed groups, employing face-to-face, online audio or online text chat experimental conditions, and conducted two non-moderated discussions (having low and high degrees of topic sensitivity). A greater interest in discussing sensitive over non-sensitive topic can explain higher participation and quality of contribution. Online text chat appeared as an efficient medium, in which the quality of participant contributions was similar to spoken discussions, obtained by smaller amount of words. Discussing sensitive topic, participants felt more comfortable using "lean" text-only medium. As hypothesized, participant personality affected the involvement in discussions: extroverts preferred taking part via a more revealing communication medium while introverts expressed greater readiness for holding discussions via text chat.
... Interpersonelle Online-Kommunikation unterscheidet sich allerdings nicht von der Offline-Kommunikation in ihrer sozialen Einbettung in Gruppenprozesse und Situationen, so dass diesen Rahmungen eine erhebliche Einflussnahme zugesprochen werden muss, die wiederum die Eigenheit der interpersonellen Kommunikation im Web abschwächen oder aufheben kann. 930 Zu Online-Freundschaften lautet der Befund: "First of all, the friendships formed in Cybertown are informal, personal, and private. Secondly, they are chosen rather than enforced. ...
Bei Bauarbeiten in der heutigen Kalverstraat, mitten im Herzen von Amsterdam, haben Archäologen Rudimente aus dem 13. Jahrhundert
gefunden. Durch die Rekonstruktion des damals dort gelegenen Handwerkerhauses kann man nachvollziehen, dass das Haus sukzessive
um eine Etage erweitert wurde. Amsterdam war zu jener Zeit nur ein kleines Dorf von 25 Metern Durchmesser, mühsam auf dem
Amsteldam angesiedelt. Es entschloss sich, sich dem jeweils steigenden Wasserspiegel in der Weise anzupassen, dass es nicht
in das Hinterland, sondern in die Höhe floh.503 Die Expansion über die Wasserhöhe hinweg konnte al- lerdings nicht als individuelles Unterfangen, sondern nur als Gemeinschaftsakt
gelingen. Ab 1380 lassen sich gezielte Kanalbauten nachweisen, von denen alle Siedler profitierten und die nur als ein systematisches
Gemeinschaftsprodukt entstanden sein konnten.504 Die weitere Entwicklung Amsterdams lässt sich als permanente Intensivierung und Anwendung dieses Prinzips der Selbstorganisation
lesen: Es folgt in gleicher Weise der Damm- und Kanalbau im Jahr 1425 (Kloveniersburgwal) und in 1450 der Singel. Diese Schlacht
der wenigen Tausend Einwohner gegen das Amstelwasser prägte Amsterdams morphologische Stadtstruktur, die bis heute noch erlaubt,
den damaligen räumlich-gesellschaftlichen Entwicklungsmodus zu rekonstruieren.505 Mit der verstärkt einsetzenden Landflucht im 16. Jahrhundert wurden die niederländischen Städte immer mehr mit der Frage
ihrer weiteren räumlichen Ausbreitung konfrontiert. In Amsterdam ist in jener Zeit der „Grachtengordel“ entstanden, Zielpunkt
heutiger Besuchsreisen. Amsterdam war aber keineswegs zu diesem oder späteren Zeitpunkten eine rational durchgeplante Stadt:
„It is amazing that Amsterdam in the 17th century actually never had a fully-flegded expansion plan.“506
... Interpersonelle Online-Kommunikation unterscheidet sich allerdings nicht von der Offline-Kommunikation in ihrer sozialen Einbettung in Gruppenprozesse und Situationen, so dass diesen Rahmungen eine erhebliche Einflussnahme zugesprochen werden muss, die wiederum die Eigenheit der interpersonellen Kommunikation im Web abschwächen oder aufheben kann. 930 Zu Online-Freundschaften lautet der Befund: "First of all, the friendships formed in Cybertown are informal, personal, and private. Secondly, they are chosen rather than enforced. ...
„Das Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas im Zentrum Berlins ist die zentrale Holocaust- Gedenkstätte Deutschlands, ein
Ort der Erinnerung und des Gedenkens an die bis zu sechs Millionen Opfer. Das Denkmal besteht aus dem von Peter Eisenman entworfenen
Stelenfeld sowie dem unterirdischen Ort der Information und wird von einer Bundesstiftung unterhalten. Das Stelenfeld ist
Tag und Nacht frei zugänglich und zu einem der Besuchermagneten der deutschen Hauptstadt geworden. Der Ort der Information
ist von 10.00 bis 20.00 Uhr geöffnet (letzter Einlass 19.15 Uhr, montags geschlossen).“552 Diese Information auf der Startseite der Stiftung Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas definiert das betreffende Denkmal
als „Ort der Erinnerung und des Gedenkens“ und zugleich als „Besuchermagneten“. Offensichtlich wird das Mahnmal stark frequentiert
und hat eine Bedeutung für viele Besucher erhalten. Ist es also ein Ort geworden, an dem man gerne geht?553 Wie die Dokumentation der Debatte um die Errichtung des Holocaust-Denkmals deutlich macht, handelt es sich um eine Installation
eines Erinnerungsortes, der politisch gewollt wurde.554 Die Einrichtung eines Ortes, der die bisherige Erinnerungskultur der Nachkriegszeit in Westdeutschland nun verräumlichen
soll, ist in einem Zusammenhang mit einer weitergehenden gesellschaftlichen Veränderung zu verstehen, in dem die Interpretation
des Holocausts als ein konflikthaft-politischer Prozess zu betrachten ist.555
... The elevated ambiguous environment typifying cyberspace, however, results in more intensive behaviors and emotions, as the role of personal processes becomes more central. This has a direct effect on people's experiences in the particular online environment, especially concerning personal engagements, from online dating (Norton, Frost 2007), online interpersonal relationships (Levine, 2000) to sex (Whitty & Carr, 2006), as well as group behavior (McKenna & Seidman, 2005). It is important to note that the field of cyberpsychology is not confined to specific modes of communication (e.g., e-mail, chat, forum, VoIP [Voice over Internet Protocol], webcam), purposes for using the computer and Internet (e.g., playing solitary or group games, learning, shopping, seeking information, undergoing psychotherapy), or types of online environment (e.g., information website, social network, chat room). ...
Personal computers and computer networks began to take over offices and increasingly the public in the 1980s, but the extensive adoption of the Internet did not come about until the introduction of the first browsers and the overwhelming acceptance of Microsoft Windows and Apple systems – equipped with advanced graphics – both in the mid-1990s. The world changed in many ways for numerous people from that point, as both social institutions and individuals have witnessed and participated in another social revolution: the availability and accessibility of information of all kinds and the dramatic innovation in interpersonal communication. With the assistance and encouragement of governments and many organizations (acting out of a variety of reasons), computers, linked to ever-growing networks, penetrated the general public rather quickly and relatively easily. It did not take long before numerous technological firms around the world, acknowledging significant improvements in a broad array of personal, work-related, social, business-related, and government-related activities, joined a competitive race for this line of business, marked by its creativity and high potential. Accordingly, they advanced and reinforced more intensive use of computers and numerous computer-related activities. This race, in turn, brought about fantastic technological developments that have changed people's world order and lives in many ways, from seeking and using information on any topic to shopping and trading, from communication with acquaintances and with strangers to virtual dating and a love life, from learning and teaching to doing research, from helping others and being helped to improved use of medicine and other facets of health care, from entertainment and leisure to self-expression.
... It has been noted that while extroverts feel comfortable both offline and online, introverts express themselves significantly more freely on the net (McKenna, Seidman, Buffardi & Green, 2007). Interacting online, introverts adopt offline behaviour patterns of extroverts (Amichai-Hamburger, Wainapel & Fox, 2002;Maldonado et al., 2001;McKenna & Seidman, 2005), among others active participation in discussions (McKenna et al., 2007). ...
The development of instructional technology increases the use of synchronous e-learning procedures which enable real-time interactions. The study explores whether the willingness to participate as well as actual participation in synchronous group discussions is affected by participant personality (extroversion-introversion), medium characteristics and discussion topic sensitivity. The research is composed of two sequenced sub-studies. The first one investigates the willingness to participate while the second study explores the degree of actual participation in discussions. An online self-report questionnaire was completed by 405 adult Internet users. Following that, 120 volunteers extracted from this sample were randomly assigned to face-to-face, audio conferencing, or textual chat gender-mixed experimental conditions and conducted two short discussions (having low and high degrees of topic sensitivity). The relation between estimated and actual participation was explored, as well as the equalization effect of online interactions. The first study findings show that, in general, participants prefer conventional over sensitive discussion topic; they also prefer face-to-face discussion rather than online communication. As hypothesized, participant personality affects the willingness to partake in discussions: extroverts prefer taking part via a more revealing communication medium; introverts express greater readiness for discussion via textual chat. The results of the study expand the understanding of student behaviour in synchronous e-learning.
... CAT can reduce social isolation by eliminating physical barriers, facilitating communication, and providing a forum for the exchange of information [4]. Individuals with disabilities often appreciate the anonymity of the Internet, where they can be evaluated for the strength of their contributions rather than their physical appearance or disability [5,6]. The Internet also provides protection against self-consciousness and social anxiety, and active participation can lead to greater levels of self-acceptance and decreased feelings of isolation [7,8]. ...
Computer access technology (CAT) allows people who have trouble using a standard computer keyboard, mouse, or monitor to access a computer. CAT is critical for enhancing the educational and vocational opportunities of people with disabilities. Choosing the most appropriate CAT is a collaborative decision-making process involving the consumer, clinician(s), and third party payers. The challenges involved and potential technological solutions are discussed.
Online identities need not reflect the true identity of the user. Relatively little is known about the use of online identities during e-learning and blended learning programmes, and if these reflect the students’ true self. Online identities may impact on student achievement and satisfaction and as such are an important consideration for educators. Following an overview of the relevant literature regarding online identities, this paper describes findings from a survey of students currently engaged in a programme delivered using these techniques and where an awareness of online identities is to the fore. Several strengths and weaknesses of online identities in education are identified, and while students generally felt that they were portraying their own true identity online, many felt that others in the group were not. Implications for practice are described.
This is the accepted version of the paper. This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Permanent repository link: http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/15156/ Link to published version: http://dx. Abstract The study focuses on the issue of empowerment among Malaysian bloggers. In Malaysia, there are issues that are considered taboo and are not discussed openly in the mainstream media. The rise of blogs in the earlier part of the 21st century has led to the discovery of a new avenue or platform of interaction. Malaysia is unique in the sense that it has its own interpretation of press freedom, a multicultural society and Islam as the official religion. Though there is a general awareness on "what is illegal offline, should be illegal online", there are those who have found new freedom in this new realm. The new world of blogosphere is considered as a haven for self experimentation, discourses and sharing of opinions where it allows individuals to express themselves openly with or without considering the legal, religious or even cultural restrictions. Some people have used the the new avenue positively and found empowerment which they would never have found if the blog had never existed. While some individuals may take advantage of this new platform for malicious activities. Forty Malaysian bloggers were interviewed during the course of this study where they share their personal blogging experiences and how blogging has brought about changes to their lives.
This article discusses the application of netnography, or ethnography of online communities, in the investigation of entrepreneurial activities and information flows, that take place in communities of immigrants overseas. The authors present the method and discuss its application in the context of one of the Facebook communities of Brazilian immigrants in Sydney, Australia. After collecting posts and data through netnography, a content analysis software was used to facilitate the coding of some behaviors of informal commerce and the flow of informations that is configured in this online environment. The exploratory study identified that the methodology is adequate and promising for this context. The findings related to the community surveyed include utilitarian aspects of information flows and sales of goods and services, as well as symbolic dimensions related to the sense of belonging of community.
המאמר מנתח את תרומתה של רשת האינטרנט להתארגנויות חברה אזרחית וליזמים פוליטיים. לצורך כך יוצגו שלושה סיפורי הצלחה מקומיים בולטים של יזמים אזרחיים אשר בחרו להשתמש באינטרנט על מנת לגבש התאגדויות מקומיות –לעתים אף בניגוד למדיניות ממשלתית ועירונית – ועל ידי כך לקדם את מטרות חבריהן. המקרים הללו, בסיועה של מסגרת תאורטית, מדגימים כי האינטרנט מעשיר את ארגז הכלים של תנועות חברתיות ושל יזמים פוליטיים, ומקל על ארגון ציבורים ועל ניתובם והירתמותם למטרות המשותפות לחבריהם
במסגרת המאמר אבחן ואנתח את שימושי האינטרנט ההשתתפותיים בזמן מלחמת לבנון השנייה. אסכם את המאמר בדיון בממצאים ובהמלצות לגבי אופנים לניצול יתרונותיו של האינטרנט לגיוס הציבור ולהנעתו בשעת חירום. מתוך סדרת "התקשורת במלחמת לבנון 2006" של מכון הרצוג
The dynamics of new relationship initiation and development can unfold somewhat differently on the Internet than occurs when individuals meet in more traditional, face-to-face settings.
This chapter presents the various ways in which online assessment tools are revolutionizing the field. Uses of online assessment tools for psychological testing, clinical diagnosis, self-assessment, and research collection are discussed. Internet-supported assessment is used for various needs and purposes. It can be classified into three major categories: psychological evaluation, psychotherapeutic diagnostics, and self-exploration and awareness. There are numerous contexts in which online assessments may take place, and several different types of assessment procedure. Objective testing techniques, such as multiple-choice tests, are most commonly published type on the Internet as they can mechanically and automatically be scored without direct human intervention. However, other testing methods, including projective techniques and the open-ended format, are possible and available on the Internet. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages, as well as ethical and legal issues related to assessment online are discussed.
The Internet is a worldwide decentralized network of computers. It started as part of the US army network and progressed to become an academic information network, and then, as it is today, a global, open communication network that affects almost every aspect of people's lives (Bargh and McKenna, 2004; Ellerman, 2007; Haythornthwaite and Hagar, 2004). Initially, the number of Internet users was small; however, the number of users is continually expanding and is estimated at more than one billion people today. Another major change has come about through the ease with which the Internet may be accessed and the number of different ways this could be done. Early on, the Internet could only be accessed through a traditional, desktop computer. Today, however, people may enter cyberspace using a portable computer, cell phone, or a pocket PC, with the result that the Internet can accompany them wherever they are. In fact, the Internet has integrated so well into people's lives that, for many, it is very difficult to imagine life without it; they receive information, communicate with others, do their shopping, plan their next trip, take part in a virtual work team, and play games in a virtual community, to mention just a few common activities. The advent of the Internet was initially regarded by many scholars as a dubious development; for example, a longitudinal study conducted by Kraut and his colleagues linked Internet use with loss of social contact, depression, and loneliness (Kraut et al., 1998).
Groups within the electronic realm share many characteristics in common with groups that meet and function in shared physical spaces. Groups in both domains can be quite diverse in terms of the composition and personality characteristics of members, the purpose and goals of the group, and the contextual setting in which the group functions. A variety of factors likely affect and influence the structure and functioning of any given group. Many, if not most, of these factors can potentially influence the group, regardless of the domain (electronic or face-to-face) and produce similar outcomes. There are qualities of electronic communication settings and qualities of physical settings that can uniquely influence the dynamics of a group in those respective settings (see McKenna & Green, 2002; McKenna & Seidman, 2005 for reviews). This chapter delves into the workings of online groups and examines potentially influential factors for group functioning. The chapter is divided into three sections, which examine (1) the role of the motivations and personality characteristics of individual members within the group, (2) the way in which different categories or kinds of online groups distinctly function (including support groups), and (3) aspects of the internal dynamics of online groups, such as cohesiveness, status and stereotypes, and performance. Individuals and Groups Individual motivations of members Classical motivation theory indicates that all behavior is motivated in some way and that an individual will engage in particular behaviors to further a desired end (e.g., Atkinson & Birch, 1970; Lewin, 1951).
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore the emerging motives behind check-in and location sharing of consumers on social network sites (SNSs). A theoretical model for the emergent motives of check-in behavior is proposed, and implications of location sharing for consumer behavior and marketing are discussed.
Design/methodology/approach
– Data were collected from a convenience sample of 32 respondents, comprising a representative sample of location-based SNS users. In total, 217 unique check-ins, locations, and motives were analyzed, and seven emergent motives were identified through content analysis.
Findings
– This paper identified the key motives behind check-in behavior, including social-enhancement value, informational and social motivation, entertainment value, gameful experiences, utilitarian motivation, and belongingness. Social-enhancement value is the most frequently cited motive, driven mainly by the selective self-presentation efforts of respondents. Gameful experiences are a newly emerging motive contributing to the “uses and gratifications theory” (UGT).
Research limitations/implications
– The proposed model has not yet been formally verified in a quantitative study. A further study with a larger sample size is planned for future work for the verification and generalization of the findings.
Practical implications
– Practitioner approaches on check-in behavior are mainly focussed on consumers giving and receiving recommendations of locations and consumers responding to the promotional efforts of marketers. However, this study suggests consumers have more creative and different motives, such as dating through location-based SNSs or gameful experiences.
Originality/value
– Research into location-based SNSs is a relatively new area in marketing. This study and proposed model are among the first to explain check-in behavior. Additionally, gameful experiences contribute to UGT, a construct that has not been previously identified.
On celebre souvent les possibilites d’echange et de communication sur le reseau mondial. Mais celui-ci ouvre-t-il des perspectives en termes de participation et de deliberation politiques ? Internet favorise-t-il, au-dela du partage d’information ou d’opinion, la confrontation avec des idees qui ne sont pas les notres ? Cette condition minimale d’une authentique deliberation democratique est-elle presente sur internet ?
The study focuses on the issue of empowerment among Malaysian bloggers. In Malaysia, there are issues considered as taboo and are not discussed openly in the mainstream media. The rise of blogs in the earlier part of the 21st century has led to the discovery of a new platform of interaction. Malaysia is unique in the sense that it has its own interpretation of press freedom, a multicultural society and Islam as the official religion. Though there is a general awareness on ‘what is illegal offline, should be illegal online’, there are those who found new freedom in this new realm. The new world of blogosphere is considered as a haven for self-experimentation, discourses and sharing of opinions where it allows individuals to express themselves openly with or without considering the legal, religious or even cultural restrictions. Some people have used the new avenue positively and found empowerment which they would never have found if the blog had never existed while others may take advantage of this new platform for malicious activities. Forty Malaysian bloggers were interviewed during the course of this study where they share their personal blogging experiences and how blogging has brought about changes to their lives.
This article examines the effect of frequency and type of Internet use on perceived social support and sense of well-being in persons with spinal cord injury. The results show that Internet use is not significantly related to perceived social support. Bivariate analysis indicates that there is a significant negative association between total Internet use and overall sense of well-being. Simultaneous regression further investigated the nature of this relationship by examining the contribution of 10 online activities to four scales measuring sense of well-being. Frequency of online gaming was negatively associated with each scale. Disability-related information seeking was also negatively associated with psychological and financial well-being, as well as perceived social support. These results suggest that Internet use as a whole should not be overlooked by rehabilitation counselors for its practical uses to increase independence and social connectedness in persons with disabilities; however, care should be used, particularly with online gaming.
Sexual harassment offline is a well-known, highly prevalent, extensively investigated, and intensively treated social problem. An accepted model classifies sexual harassment behaviors into the categories of gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention, and sexual coercion. Theory and research show that sexual harassment behavior occurs as a product of person · situation characteristics and has substantial personal and organizational costs. This article reviews the available information on sexual harassment in cyberspace, equates this phenomenon with what has been learned about sexual harassment offline, points to specific characteristics of online culture and technology that reinforce the behavior, and proposes ways of promoting prevention.
This article focuses on the notion of 'phantom emotions'. Two psychological phenomena - the natural tendency, based on personal needs and wishes, to fantasize and close gaps in subjectively important information in ambiguous situations on the one hand; and the common use of a made-up persona to represent one's identity in virtual environments, on the other - unavoidably creates phantom emotions. An individual online genuinely experiences an emotion - be it attraction or repulsion, lust, love, hate, or jealousy - although these emotional sensations are based, in principle, on false objective foundations. Moreover, not only is the external information inaccurate (or entirely false), but the personal emotions are elicited (or triggered) by illusionary objects momentary believed to be authentic and real.
The development of instructional technology increases the use of synchronous e-learning procedures which enable real-time student-instructor and student-student interactions. The willingness to participate in group discussions is affected by medium characteristics, discussion topic, and participant personality. The two personality characteristics considered influential in online behavior are extroversion-introversion and neuroticism. The present study investigated readiness to participate in face-to-face communication versus synchronous interaction through audio conferencing and textual chat. Specifically, the study explored whether the willingness to participate in group discussion relates to participant personality (extroversion-introversion and neuroticism), medium characteristics, and type of discussion topic. The data was collected by an online questionnaire which was completed by 405 adult Israeli Internet users. Results show that, generally, participants prefer conventional over sensitive discussion topic; they also prefer face-to-face discussion rather than online communication modes. It seems that participants' media preferences are affected by their past experience in using audio conference and textual chat communication. As hypothesized, participant personality affects the willingness to partake in discussions: extroverts and participants with a low level of neuroticism prefer taking part via a more revealing communication medium; introverts and participants with a high level of neuroticism express greater readiness for discussion via textual chat. Topic sensitivity interacts with participant personality and type of medium, and adds to this trend. The study results expand understanding of student behavior in synchronous e-learning.
An ever-expanding number of online self-help mutual aid groups are available to provide information and support over the Internet
for a wide variety of social and mental health issues. They offer advantages to consumers since they are not bound to time,
place, or social presence. Research supports their benefits in areas of health, mental health, addictions, stigmatized identities,
trauma and violence recovery, and grief support. Harm may also come from participation in these groups due to disinhibited
communication, privacy concerns, and misinformation. Mental health practitioners need to be knowledgeable about these groups
as both sources of additional support and potential stressors for consumers. Future development of online support through
social networking sites and virtual communities will become new resources for consumers.
The Internet can be efficiently exploited to help people in severe emotional distress, including those contemplating suicide. Based on this premise and guided by various psychological principles that characterize Internet communication and behavior, on the one hand, and by factors related to the provision of emotional support, on the other, an Israeli project with the Hebrew acronym SAHAR was established. The idea behind SAHAR was to initiate an anonymous, confidential online environment that would attract people in a crisis situation and offer them a listening ear, mental support, and warmth, provided by anonymous, skilled helpers. At the heart of this exclusively online service is a content-rich Hebrew website (http://www.sahar.org.il) that provides relevant and continuously updated information for people in need. Accessed through the site, SAHAR offers, in addition, personal communication to users through synchronous and asynchronous support. For group communication, SAHAR provides online forums (a chat room will soon be launched). The website is accessed more than 10,000 times a month, or 350 times a day, a considerable number relative to Israel’s small population. Approximately 1000 personal contacts with SAHAR itself take place, each month, of which at least a third of the distressed users are clearly suicidal. The forums receive over 200 new messages a day. SAHAR on numerous occasions has participated in rescue operations of individuals who threatened to commit suicide or were actually in the process of trying. In many other cases, a supportive conversation or a referral to appropriate help resources prevented hasty decisions by highly distressed, desperate people contemplating suicide. Feedback by users also indicates the success of SAHAR as a unique psychological application on the Internet.
Online religious forums allow individuals to meet and interact with others who share their faith, beliefs, and values from the privacy of their homes. Active membership in traditional religious organizations has been shown to fulfill important social needs and to be associated with a number of benefits for the individuals involved. The survey study we report here found that many of the self and social benefits derived from participation in local religious institutions also accrue for those who take part in virtual religious forums. These interactive online forums were found to attract both those who are actively engaged in their local religious organizations and those who are unaffiliated.
The Internet has been ascribed a negative reputation among scholars, for its potentially damaging influence on its users. These include addiction, depression, and loneliness. Although there are individuals who have been harmed through their use of the Internet, this is certainly not the whole story. The Internet provides a rich environment which includes significantly positive aspects as well as negative ones, and, when used appropriately, the Internet may greatly improve the quality of life for its users. This article will focus on the affirmative aspects of the net and on ways in which it may be used to enhance and increase surfers’ well-being, both collectively and individually.The topics discussed below are: (1) how the net experience can help socially inhibited people and those with a negative social stigma; (2) social support systems on the net; (3) how the net can improve intergroup relationships; (4) the ability of the net to solve the conflict between individuality and belonging to a group. It is suggested that understanding the positive aspects of the net will promote its potential to improve the psychological well-being of surfers.
To determine the relationship among amount and type of internet use and perceived social support and subjective well-being in persons with visual impairments.
One hundred seventy-five participants were recruited through a letter sent out over 46 national and state listservs for persons with visual impairments and blindness. The mean age of participants was 46.7 years (SD = 13.3), and 50.9% were women. The participants completed a survey containing a demographic questionnaire, an internet use questionnaire, the personal resources questionnaire - 2000 (PRQ-2000), and the sense of well-being inventory (SWBI).
Frequency and type of internet use was not significantly related to perceived social support in persons with visual impairments. There was a marginally significant positive association between internet use and overall sense of well-being. Specifically, online chat had a positive association with social support and well-being. Disability-related information seeking and participation in online support groups were negatively associated with well-being.
Despite the mixed results of this study, the internet has potential practical implications for increasing the independence and social connectedness in persons with visual impairments.
Online Communities allow individuals to interact, get to know and exchange with similar others. Especially when there are no offline-groups available, online communities can be useful for locating others who share specialized interests. For girls, who are interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), an online community could be an option to meet other girls and women who are interested in STEM. That way girls (1) meet role models and similar others and (2) can identify with the social group of STEM-girls. However, belonging to an online community might not be enough. Research has shown that active involvement is important in order to incorporate the social identity of the group into one's own identity and to benefit from being a group member. To test this assumption, we conducted a study with female high school students who were members of an online community for girls interested in STEM (training group, N = 231) or who were interested and applied to become a member of the community but had to wait another year (control group, N = 186). We found that the more actively members participated within the online community, the more they identified with the group. We further found that for members, who identified strongly with the group, the academic elective intents for STEM increased significantly over the study period of ten months whereas the academic elective intents for STEM decreased for members who identified less with the group as well as for members of the control group.
Cyberspace has become a common social environment in which people interact and operate in many ways. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the occurrence and reciprocity of self-disclosure, two subjects that are extensively studied in face-to-face interactions but only to a limited degree in virtual, computer-mediated, textual communication. Data was based on 240 first messages in a thread, sampled in equal numbers from six Internet forums (three discussion and three support groups), and written in equal numbers by each gender, and 240 first responses to them (a total of 480 forum messages). Trained, expert judges blindly rated each message on the degree to which it disclosed personal information, thoughts, and feelings. Linguistic parameters (total number of words and number of first-voice words) were also used as dependent variables. Results showed the following: (a) self-disclosure in support forums was much higher than in discussion forums, in terms of both total number and type of disclosure; (b) messages in support forums were longer and included more first-voice words than in discussion forums; (c) there were no gender differences interacting with level of self-disclosure; (d) reciprocity of self-disclosure was evident, yielding positive correlations between the measures of self-disclosure in messages and responses to them; (e) some differences appeared in level of reciprocity of self-disclosure between male and female participants, with female respondents tending to be more reciprocal than male respondents. The implications of these results are discussed in light of growing social interactions online, and possible applications are suggested.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.