There are 4 dimensions in which a community is developed
- Feelings of membership
- Feelings of influence
- Intergration and fulfillment of needs
- Shared emotional connection
This all possible from forming a community online. To some extent i think that 'community is in the eye of the user', someone could constantly be a lurker, which might detach them from a community. However if a user has sense of one of the four dimensions, then they could be part of anything, especially the last point; if a person has frequent interaction with something, their going to feel like their involved. This is my opinion anyways. I often go onto my favourite bands fansite, i read the forums, never respond, but feel like im part of that community because of my 'shared emotional connection' to it.
Macmillian, D. W., & Chavis, D.M (1986) 'Sense of Community: A defintion and theory' Journal of Community Psychology, vol.14, pp 6-23
Im also guilty of looking at sites without directly contributing to it, such as Youtube, which i have not uploaded a single video on, yet use regularly and feel apart of. Do you think this says something about out apparent needs as people to feel involved in a community? Even if it isnt for a feeling of influence. Are we all ultimately after a sense of intergration and fufillment of needs?
ReplyDeleteRincy.
ReplyDeleteIm not sure. Sometimes i feel like i want to contribute, thats if it appeals to me, but most of the time i havent got an opinion. The main reason that i go on the web is for entertainment reasons, not necessarily for me to feel like part of a community, like if im shopping for something for example. I think some people do go on the internet to feel like part of a community, like these forums asking for help about something that they may not want to ask someone in person. I think it just depends on the person and the way that they use the internet
ReplyDeleteYeah i agree, i use it mainly for entertainment purposes, the only contributions i make are on Facebook! It seems society is far more comfortable when talking and communicating via the net. If you dont feel that the net is a source of community, then you dont see the need to contribute.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased to see soem interation going on here guys - keep it up! As to the question of online communities, I find it helpful at least in part to reflect on my own offline communities to begin with. No they aren't the same, but they do (and don't) offer insights to the factors contributing. EG that lurker issue - is there any way in which we "lurk" in RL but would still say and feel we are part of the community? ( I mean lurking iin a non-threatening way!!) Then we can move on from that and see how and why it is the same online (or not).
ReplyDeleteWhat about seminars? Sometimes i might contribute to a seminar, and other times i might listen to what people have to say. Me not contributing, doesn't mean that i dont feel as involved in the seminar. However i could suggest that because i have to go to the seminars, this community is made for me and it would be hard for me not feel involved, unless i simply didnt go. Its actually really hard to think of my life without the use of new media. Can anyone else think of how they might lurk in real life?
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