摘要
对互联网技术的使用是否会增进公民的社区参与一直是一个具有争议性的问题,对于网络社区在其中如何发挥作用的相关研究却寥寥无几。本文利用大数据,采用一个案例,从社会网络分析的视角对此进行研究。通过区分不同性质的讨论网后发现,网络社区对业主的网络公民参与存在正效应,不同议题的讨论网关系可以相互转化,从而促进网络参与。
There have been some intense debates over the issue of internet technology and civic engagement. Concerns about whether internet reduces face-to-face interaction and thus weakens community cohesion, or whether it creates a new way of communication and community participation,or perhaps it is simply a means of fulfillment, have generated a wide range of opinions. However,few studies have dealt with the role of virtual community in social engagement and how such participation is mobilized through social networks within the virtual world. Based on a large quantity of data collected from one online Property Owners＇ Forum, this paper for the first time attempts to apply the perspective of social network analysis to examine the issue. The methodology adopted here is the ERGM model, suitable for large scale data analysis. This study views the discussion forum as a complex network of relationships. The forum discussion boards are categorized into three groups of community issues,leisure and hobby, and general topics. The study looks into whether there are differences among the members of these three groups in participation levels because of their preference of interests. The study results show that the participants in leisure and hobby group have the lowest opening level of online community engagement. The social networks formed through online discussions have positive effect on community participation. The leisure and hobby group also shows stronger intra group bonds andcohesion than the general topics group, which makes it easier tomobilize members to engage in community issues. By comparison, the loosely connected members of the general topics group are less likely to be mobilized to involve in community issues, a characteristic of what Putman called ＂passive consumption＂. This study shows that geo-spatial similarity also has effects on cross-community participation.
出处
《社会》
CSSCI
北大核心
2015年第5期101-121,共21页
Chinese Journal of Sociology
