Formation of a supportive electronic community and process of its collapse : Examination based on the case of the “Hidamari"

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Other Title
  • 援助的な電子コミュニティの形成と崩壊過程 : “ひだまり"を事例とする検討
  • エンジョテキ ナ デンシ コミュニティ ノ ケイセイ ト ホウカイ カテイ ヒダマリ ヲ ジレイ ト スル ケントウ
  • エンジョテキ ナ デンシ コミュニティ ノ ケイセイ ト ホウカイ カテイ ヒダマリ オ ジレイ ト スル ケントウ

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to clarify the process of forming supportive functions in a self-help group, with a focus on electronic communities. The case of a WWW bulletin board for people who needed to take care of their elder family members were the object of study, and there were a total of 7,162 messages posted over 44 months on the board. As a result, it was clarified that in the electronic community, empathetic messages based on homogeneity of the community members formed a community of having a strong sense of belonging. Supportive activities in the electronic communities were often provided by a cooperative relationship -- a so-called virtual team --, and it sometimes produced not only emotional supports but also instrumental supports requiring a face-to-face relationship. Overall, the effectiveness of forming a self-help group in the electronic community was revealed. However, it was also suggested that an opportunity of face-to-face communication among the community members, called an "Off meeting," enhanced the heterogeneity and brought the risk of collapse of the community.

Journal

  • 対人社会心理学研究

    対人社会心理学研究 4 21-30, 2004

    大阪大学大学院人間科学研究科対人社会心理学研究室

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