ÿWPClD ŒerºH¸)jS>êV·¥»0‡©aH¹0 ÒŒ^ÀX*Úãî.Sÿ?wuŸË®—ܵˆµ`ÏÕWI÷+ÛU¡œÑQ.?W&Yê/ióõ,3½ìÜqeÃãz®ÚƒJIÙ,#²Ì¦ŽÐrü¼'KŠÄ±´7o Û[ûïåÆ2œµÌR)ƒš»à5Ó!K,@щ٬¿BÁg_9K]Ca 4QË•“§†i”»iOá#‚Ì3ÃÁ0ûL(0ß¾Âï.Ÿú°ãé9[G‘"§§ÜC_ÿó8vT@ÏÙ-}t_j·Ž‚tÎÌ"ì«7NJ´h%Ý8¼œ¹t˜É=äc?Ñ%¼Î@öìJQd9’aNx{™Ì¹Y©W'À§c8Âá93‹Saà9Øu4Âë¾* ô¬Ú J3 JD»3åwÌ ]Øç\CàÏüÔcÖƒ­Ý—(×£Æ6ô!ß 8Ó¢ø ÔßtS¤¶±Ñì²*¤þb«*z‰ æêîߨ§}œ°êõÍ7†è ?úv„ºÔîãE‚Fý­Mdyˆ:ƒüI߉æ&˜¹¨›Ü ?C-Âr-Û¿<W´6)hˆ+QpPctzÅ&&HÚ÷¤Aj'júŽ# Ä U†NÏ % 0(# B›K 0Ch 0C« w@î . 0 C6 0uy î ö 4  / /  E ‰RÛfó÷õ¼ì¢¨WJUW<¡ÃÝç a‡»›aVjf€f‚‚„ D3 B*9 D3ca–aªU,¾ D3ê B D3: Bm D3Š B½ D3Ú B  D/* D3Y B*Œ D3¶ B*é D3 B-Fsˆ B*² D3Ü B7 B7F D-} D5ª D+ß D3 B= DMZ DC§ Æê ư!Æv"Æ<#Æ$ A©È$ 0Dq% 0Kµ%f&&a &f& &f5&7&fM&O&fd&ff&fh&fj&fl&fn&fp&ìr&^(t(‰(Ÿ(´(Ê(ß(õ( )a)a3)aG)a[)ao)aƒ)—)a­)Á)a×)aë) hÿ) hÿ* hF+ hVJ- hJ / hê/ h$ñ1UB2W2l22–2U2¬2Þ2ô2 33 hV33‰5 hpž5 hn6|8 hÊ‘8 hƒ[: hšÞ; hôx?˜HP LaserJet 4/4MHPPCL5E,,,,0 (@øÐ Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ d(2C$§§Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý(2C$©©Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý E{eU' use o(ÿÿ$òòÚ  ÚÚ  Úóó(- 2u$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÓÓ€€€€òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó Ñ  ÑËrA%c°°(#(#3|x Ñ  Ñ Ó  ÓÓ  ÓÓB.÷o ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#°œXBÓà Ÿ àà  àòò9óóA€complete€description€of€#friends€is€available€at:€Ð ° Ðà Ÿ àà  àhttp://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/7790/ Ó  ÓÓ  ÓÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#°œX?ÓÓ XÓòò3óóSee€Rhinegold€(1993)€for€a€discussion€of€the€history€of€IRC.€mIRC€is€simply€a€more€Ð ° Ðelaborate€version€of€IRC€that€incorporates€colors€and€other€text€formatting€features.€Reid€Ì(1991)€used€anecdotal€evidence€to€qualitatively€investigate€IRC€as€a€community. Ó  ÓÓ  ÓÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#°œX?ÓÓ XÓòòóóPrimary€Relationships€are€defined€as€€interpersonal€relations€characterized€by€emotional€Ð ° Ðintensity,€total€commitment,€and€mutual€satisfaction.Be íà  àòò5óóMUDs€(Multiple€User€Dungeons/Dimensions)€are€an€older€form€of€CMC€than€mIRC.€Ð ° Ðà  àMUDs€were€first€created€in€1980.€€(See€Rhinegold,€1993,€for€€more€thorough€discussion€Ìà  àof€MUDs). ²Ò°ÒÓ  ÓÓ  Óòò1€óóSimply€put,€a€collective€will€is€analogous€to€behavioral€norms€that€shape€the€behavior€of€Ð ° Ѐ€members€of€a€group. ˜à  àòò2€óóSocial€network€analysis€focuses€on€patterns€of€relations€among€people,€groups,€and€Ð ° Ðà  à€€organizations. MÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#°œX?Óà  àòòÌà  à6óóMOOs€(MUD,€Object€Oriented)€are€MUDs€which€are€more€graphically€based€in€nature€Ð @ Ðà  àbut€still€use€textԇ³\ÂXXÔԇ³\³\ÔÐ 0€ Ðô\  `$Times NewRoman ¹Ó  ÓÓ  ÓÓ XÓòò7óóMUSHs€(Multiple€User€Shared€Hallucinations)€for€a€complete€discussion€see€Ð ° Ðhttp://www.tjhsst.edu/people/mgraham/muck.htm ÝÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#°œX?ÓÓ XÓÌòò8óóMUCKs€(Multiple€User€Character€Kits)€also€see€Ð  ð Ðhttp://www.tjhsst.edu/people/mgraham/muck.htmble to realize....Th ±Ó  ÓÓ  ÓÓB.÷o ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#°œXBÓÓ XÓòò10óóTraditional€Community€here€refers€to€a€real-world,€bounded€geographical€community€Ð ° Ðwhich€has€all€three€dimensions,€social€interaction€between€people,€a€closely€bound€Ìlimited€geographic€area,€and€community€sentiment.€€Here,€the€term€is€used€to€refer€to€a€Ìcommunity€which€is€not€a€"virtual€community."TABLE D Ñ  Ñion  xÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#°œX?ÓÓ XÓòò11óóThe€concept€of€"close€friends"€here€is€adapted€from€Wellman€(1979:1208-1209),€where€Ð ° Ðà  àrespondents€are€asked€to€indicate€who€they€feel€are€close€friends.€"Friend"€is€but€one€of€Ìthe€types€of€intimate€relationships€identified€by€Wellman€(1979:1211).€€"Kinship"€is€Ìanother.€Since€the€purpose€of€#friends€is€"Making€friends€all€around€the€world,"€an€Ìattempt€to€identify€"close€friends"€rather€than€kinship€is€the€main€point€of€this€question,€Ìthough€question€3-B€does€address€the€kinship€issue.%%%%'þÿdxd&ÿÿ0 d d'ÿÿdxd of organizational dispersion patterns: (ô\ Y`Symbol++++'óÿdxdöÿ  d----'ûÿdxdüÿP Pd////'ýÿdxdþÿ d1111'üÿdxdýÿ d--'÷ÿ dxd4444'òÿdxd&õÿP d d6666'øÿdxd&ùÿp d Pd<<<<'ùÿdxd)Hairline d Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñ&úÿp Pd d>?>?'öÿdxd3øÿ+0 ÿÿÿd ÿÿÿd d3÷ÿ+0 d d d'õÿdxd'ôÿdxd'ÈÈÈÈdxdDDDD'úÿdxdûÿ   dE"Thin Top/Bottom dxd=Thin BottomdxdLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5ƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5GMNB›&OLE 2.0 Box <=8ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ HKKKK(3¯$££Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý( ±þ$’’ò òFigure€Ú  Ú1Ú  Úó ómputer-mTABLE Ces Ñ  Ñco Ñ  Ñ\ Ñ  Ñpment of commu âÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#°œX?ÓÓ XÓòò12óóThis€survey€is€produced€by€the€Graphics€Visualization€and€Usability€(GVU)€Center€at€Ð ° ÐGeorgia€Tech.€€It€is€an€Internet€user€survey€administered€by€self-selection.€€Strong€Ìcautionary€statements€about€the€survey's€representativeness€and€reliability€are€given€on€¼à  àthe€survey€website.€€For€details,€consult:€http://www.gvu.gatech.edu/user_survey Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñmotional intensity (mutual confiding) and reciprocity. Grannoveter 1973:1361) says that these 3 factors can ooperate  Ñ  Ñnother alothough the Ñ  Ñy intercorrelated." The survey insturm! !!!@!䃞ͪÏë?!@!³˜Ø|\ê?!@!®dÇF ^è?ÍTABLE B!""@""ð?"@"@""ı.n£@"®Gáz®ã?"‚âǘ»–Ø?""±¿ìž<,ö?"´Yõ¹ÚŠÍ?""z6«>Wå?"= ×£p=Ê?"„ O¯”eÀ?""z6«>Wå?"Ÿ<,Ôšæë?"ð?ÐTABLE A"OOš™™™™™@OOOOO@OÍÌÌÌÌÌ@OO@O@OO€A@O€P@OO@Oš™™™™™&@OO@Offffff*@OOð?Offffffþ?ÎTABLE CORR…ëQ¸…@CRCRCTTq= ×£p@CTCTCTCTCT€J@CTfffff¦C@CTCT€C@CTfffffæ<@CTCT1@CT333333)@CTCT9@CT€2@CTCTð?CTffffffæ?C Table_ITVV š™™™™™@< Œ p`‹*Times New RomanTT Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñô\  `Times New Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñ Ñ  Ñ Ñ  ÑXXffffff@CXCXCXCXCX@CX333333@CXCX"@CXÍÌÌÌÌÌ@CXCXB@CXÍÌÌÌÌÌ>@CXCX€N@CXÍÌÌÌÌ J@CXCX@CXffffff@CXCX@]@CXY@C Table_HX Ñ  ÑYY333333@CYCYCYCYCZZÍÌÌÌÌÌ@CZCZCZ€J@CZCZCZG@CZ;@CZ333333!@CZfffffæ7@CZ*@CZffffff!@CZ€S@CZI@CZ€J@CZ1@CZffffff>@CZ:@CZÍÌÌÌÌŒH@CZ a@CZš™™™™™F@CZ@L@C Ñ  Ñ[[ffffff@C[C[C[€J@C[€H@C[C[C[33333óV@C[C[33333óU@C[C[ffffffT@C[C[š™™™™YB@C[C[ @C[333333.@C[ÍÌÌÌÌL0@C\\C\C\€J@C\B@C\C\C\?@C\C\?@C\C\A@C\C\&@C\C\ð?C\C] ]@C]C]C]€J@C]C]C]B@C]@C]@C]ffffff*@C]€M@C]33333³8@C]ffffff3@C]ð?C]4@C]š™™™™ÙB@C]P@C]ÍÌÌÌÌÌ:@C]ÀK@C]S@C]ÍÌÌÌÌÌ?@C]ffffffJ@C]@C]š™™™™™&@C]@@C]ÍÌÌÌÌÌ*@C]33333³0@C]@C]ÍÌÌÌÌÌ"@C] @C]ffffff @C]ÍÌÌÌÌÌ+@C^1^{®Gáz@C^C^C^C^C^@C^ffffff@C^C^@C^'@C^C^,@C^fffffæ:@C^C^>@C^š™™™™ÙL@C^C^€J@C^Y@C^ C^ C^ @C^ ÍÌÌÌÌÌ@C^ C^ =@C^ š™™™™YK@C^ C^ 5@C^ ÍÌÌÌÌÌC@C^ C^ €J@C^ Y@C^C^C^:@C^ÍÌÌÌÌŒH@C^C^;@C^33333sI@C^C^C^C^C^C^C^C^€J@C^Y@C Table_J^Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýññ›ññÑ  ÑÑ€ ÀÀ` ÑÑÈÑÑ  ÑÒ°ÒÓÓÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#°œX?ÓÔ‡X´’XXXÔññò òññÙÙÔ‡ Ñ XX´’ÔÑ7€´’XXdðdÈ7ÑÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜññññó óññññññÔ#†X´’X  Ñû#ÔÌÌÓ  ÓÌAN€INVESTIGATION€OF€#FRIENDS€INTERNET€RELAY€CHAT€ÌAS€A€COMMUNITYÌÌby€ÌÌDAVID€ALAN€COON€ÌÌB.A.,€Southeastern€Louisiana€University,€1996€ÌÌ---------------------------------€ÌÌA€THESIS€ÌÌsubmitted€in€partial€fulfillment€of€the€ÌÌrequirements€for€the€degree€ÌÌMASTER€OF€ARTS€Ì€Ð ,`'* ЇDepartment€of€Sociology,€Anthropology,€and€Social€Work€ÌCollege€of€Arts€and€Sciences€ÌÌKANSAS€STATE€UNIVERSITY€ÌManhattan,€Kansas€ÌÌ1998€ÌÌÓÊÓÌà ` à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€¼à ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àà È àà  àApproved€by:Ìà ` àà ¸ àà  àÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àà È àà  àMajor€ProfessorÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àà È àà  àDr.€W.€Richard€GoeÌÌÐ  Ð  ÐÓ  ÓÔ‡ Ñ XX´’Ôò òABSTRACTÐ ° Ðó óÔ#†X´’X  Ñá#ÔÓÕÓÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àA€large€number€of€publications€have€referred€to€the€Internet€as€a€€"community"Ð 0€ Ðwithout€elaborating€on€this€point.€Few€studies€have€attempted€€to€take€a€sociologicalÏconception€of€community€and€applied€it€to€the€€Internet,€and€those€that€have,€have€givenÏonly€a€cursory€treatment€of€the€€classical€community€literature€at€best.€The€purpose€of€thisÏthesis,€€therefore,€was€to€apply€a€sociological€conception€of€€"community"€to€a€part€of€theÏInternet.€This€thesis€examines€the€presence€of€elements€which€typically€indicate€theÏpresence€of€community€in€a€€sociological€sense,€through€survey€research€of€€participantsÏof€the€#friends€IRC€Internet€"chat€room."€€The€survey€was€used€to€determine€the€nature€Ïand€extent€of€social€network€formation€in€the€context€of€how€this€relates€€to€a€sociologicalÏdefinition€of€community.€Three€principal€areas€were€investigated€by€the€survey:Ïcommunal€social€relations,€geographic€proximity,€and€community€sentiment.€This€thesisÏalso€classified€€various€forms€of€Computer€Mediated€Communication€(CMC)€found€onÏthe€Internet€and€framed€how€each€of€these€types€of€interaction€fits€into€a€€scheme€ofÏcommunity.ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àFindings€indicated€that€the€majority€of€the€social€relationships€which€exist€inÏ#friends€met€the€characteristics€needed€for€communal€social€relations.€€It€was€found€thatÏthe€majority€of€the€social€networks€formed€in€#friends€were€large€in€geographic€scope.€ÏThere€was€found€to€be€a€fair€amount€of€community€sentiment€in€#friends,€and€a€highÏâ âdegree€of€attachment€among€those€with€close€friendship€ties€in€#friends.€€Based€on€theÐ ð(@$& Ðfindings,€it€can€be€concluded€that€the€#friends€chatroom€on€IRC€has€many€of€theÏcharacteristics€of€a€community€and€can€be€considered€a€ð ðvirtual€community.ððÌâ âÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àÌÓ  ÓÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óò òÔ‡ Ñ XX´’ÔÐ  P   ÐÔ#†X´’X  Ñ‚#ÔÔ‡ Ñ XX´’ÔÑ7€´’XXdðXXdð7ÑÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜTABLE€OF€CONTENTSÐ ° Ðó óÔ#†X´’X  ÑÙ#ÔÓ  ÓTABLE€OF€CONTENTS......................................................................................................iÐ 0€ ÐÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓLIST€OF€TABLES..............................................................................................................ivÌACKNOWLEDGMENTS...................................................................................................vÌCHAPTER€ÌI.à ` àINTRODUCTION...................................................................................................1Ð °  ÐII.€à ` àREVIEW€OF€LITERATURE..................................................................................5Ô#†X´’XXX´’Á#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÐ à  Ðà ` àStatement€of€the€Problem.........................................................................................5Ìà ` àSociological€Definitions€of€the€concept€of€Communityðð.........................................5Ô#†X´’XXX´’´#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ԀРP  Ðà ` àCommunal€Social€Relations.....................................................................................8Ô#†X´’XXX´’ø#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÐ 0€ Ðà ` àCommunal€Attachment€and€Common€Ties............................................................11Ô#†X´’XXX´’Ë#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÐ ` Ðà ` àInformation€Technology€and€Community.............................................................13Ô#†X´’XXX´’#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÐ ð@ Ðà ` àResearch€on€the€Internet€as€a€Community.............................................................16¼à ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓPsychological€Internet€Research............................................................................22Ìà ` àSocial€Relationships€and€Common€Ties€On„Line€.................................................24Ô#†X´’XXX´’U#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÐ à Ðà ` àGeography€and€the€Internet....................................................................................24Ô#†X´’XXX´’D#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÐ p!À ÐIII.€à ` àTYPES€OF€COMPUTER€MEDIATED€COMMUNICATION.............................26Ð P#   ÐIV.€à ` àRESEARCH€OBJECTIVES..................................................................................38Ð 0%€ " Ðà ` àForms€of€€CMC€as€a€Medium€for€Community.......................................................40¼à ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓFormation€of€Communal€Social€Relations€Over€the€Internet................................42ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àGeographic€Scale€of€Communities€Developed€Over€the€Internet..........................43Ð Ð* &( ÐÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àDevelopment€of€Community€Sentiment€Over€the€Internet....................................44ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓV.€€à ` àRESEARCH€METHODS......................................................................................46Ð à Ðà ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓSampling€Procedure...............................................................................................46Ìà ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓResponse€Rate........................................................................................................47ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àOrganization€of€The€Survey€Questionnaire...........................................................47Ïà ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓMeasurement€of€Communal€Relations...................................................................48Ìà ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓMeasurement€of€the€Geographic€Scale€of€Community..........................................50Ìà ` àMeasurement€of€Community€Sentiment................................................................52Ìà ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓMethod€of€Data€Analysis.......................................................................................54ÌVI.€à ` àFINDINGS.............................................................................................................Ó?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Ó55Ó?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓÐ à Ðà ` àCharacteristics€of€the€Sample€................................................................................55Ó?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àFrequency€of€Participation€in€#friends€and€in€Other€Chat€Rooms.........................57Ó?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Ó€ÏÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àOnline€Friendships€in€#friends...............................................................................60Ó?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àNature€of€On„Line€relationships€in€#friends..........................................................61Ì€Ó?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓÔ#†X´’XXX´’#ÔÔ‡€X”ýXXX´’Ôà ` àTraditional€Face„to„Face€Relationships€Outside€of€CyberspaceÔ#†X´’XX€X”ý'#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’Ô..........................64Ô#†X´’XXX´’'#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÐ ð@ ÐÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓÓÓà ` àThe€relationship€between€close€ties€in€#friends€&€close€ties€outside€of€Ìà ` àCyberspace.............................................................................................................70ÌÌÓ`(Óà ` àThe€Effects€of€Internet€Participation€on€Other€Activities......................................71Ìà ` àGeographic€Scale€of€Close€Friendship€Ties€in€friends...........................................72ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àGeographic€Scale€of€Close€Friendship€Ties€Outside€of€Cyberspace.....................73Ìà ` àThe€Evolution€of€Cyberspace€Relationships€into€Face„to„Face€Relationships€.....74Ìà ` àCommunity€Sentiment€Among€Participants€in€#friends........................................75Ð $+t&) ÐVII.à ` àDISCUSSION€AND€CONCLUSIONS.................................................................78Ð ° Ðà ` àClose€Friendship€Ties€in€#friends..........................................................................78ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àRespondentsðð€Close€Friendship€Ties€Outside€of€Cyberspace................................81ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓÓÓà ` àComparison€of€Close€Friendship€Ties€in€#friends€and€Close€Friendship€Ties€Ìà ` àOutside€of€Cyberspace...........................................................................................83ÌÌÓ¡-ÓÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àGeographic€Scale€of€Close€Friendship€Ties€in€#friends.........................................85ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àGeographic€Scale€of€Close€Friendship€Ties€Outside€of€Cyberspace.....................85ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àEstablishment/maintenance€of€Friendship€Ties.....................................................86Ìà ` àCommunity€Sentiment€among€#friends€Users.......................................................88Ìà ` àSummary................................................................................................................89Ìà ` àDirections€for€Future€Research..............................................................................89ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓBIBLIOGRAPHY..............................................................................................................91ÌAPPENDIX€A....................................................................................................................95Ìà ` àCover€Letter...........................................................................................................96Ìà ` àSurvey€Questionnaire.............................................................................................97ÓÓÓ ì(#ŒXÓÌÐ  ð@ ÐÓ  Óò òLIST€OF€TABLESÐ ° Ðó óÓ”4ÓÌÓÓԇ³\ÂXX´’ÔÔ*wƒVddd Xdd Xdd X(#(#wÔÔ,Üdd ÔÔ,Ddd ÔÔ+  ÔÐ  à ‹‹ÐÔ#†X´’X³\ì4#ÔTable€3.1:Ð %ôD ‹‹%ÐTypes€of€CMC€&€Characteristics€of€Each€Type..............................36Ð %ôD ‹‹%ÐTable€6.1:Ð %xÈ ‹‹%ÐComparison€of€this€sample€with€Ninth€GVU€Survey......................58Ð %xÈ ‹‹%ÐTable€6.2:Ð %ü L ‹‹%ÐCountries€Represented€by€the€Sample.............................................59Ð %ü L ‹‹%ÐTable€6.3:Ð %€ Ð  ‹‹%ÐFrequency€of€participation€in€#friends€chatroom.............................60Ð %€ Ð  ‹‹%ÐTable€6.4:Ð % T  ‹‹%ÐCharacteristics€of€Close€Friendship€Ties€Developed€in€#friends.....63Ð % T  ‹‹%ÐTable€6.5:Ð %ˆØ  ‹‹%ÐDuration€of€close€friendship€ties€developed€in€#friends..................64Ð %ˆØ  ‹‹%ÐTable€6.6:Ð % \  ‹‹%ÐÓÓCharacteristics€of€Close€Friendship€Ties€Developed€Outside€ofÏCyberspace.......................................................................................67Ð %üL  ‹‹%ÐÓç9ÓTable€6.7:Ð %€Ð  ‹‹%ÐÓÓDuration€of€close€friendship€ties€developed€outside€of€ÌCyberspace.......................................................................................68Ð %pÀ ‹‹%ÐÓ;ÓTable€6.8:Ô#†X´’XXX´’í'#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÐ %ôD ‹‹%ÐÓÓJoint€Distribution€of€respondents€with€close€friends€in€#friends€vs.ÏThose€with€Close€friends€outside€of€Cyberspace.............................71Ð %ä4 ‹‹%ÐÓ]<ÓTable€6.9:Ô#†X´’XXX´’<#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÐ %h¸ ‹‹%ÐÓÓEffects€of€Internet€Participation€on€Other€Activities.......................72Ð %h¸ ‹‹%ÐÓ­=ÓTable€6.10:Ô#†X´’XXX´’i=#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÐ %ì< ‹‹%ÐGeographic€Scale€of€Close€Ties€in€#friends.....................................73Ð %ì< ‹‹%ÐTable€6.11:Ô#†X´’XXX´’v>#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÐ %pÀ ‹‹%ÐGeographic€Scale€of€Close€Ties€Outside€of€Cyberspace..................74Ð %pÀ ‹‹%ÐTable€6.12:Ô#†X´’XXX´’^?#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÐ %ôD ‹‹%ÐFrequency€Distributions€of€Community€Sentiment€Indicators........76Ð %ôD ‹ ‹%ÐTable€6.13:Ô#†X´’XXX´’=@#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÐ %xÈ   ‹‹%ÐÓÓComparison€of€the€means€on€the€Community€Sentiment€IndexÏbetween€Persons€with€Close€Friendship€Ties€Developed€in€#friendsÏand€Those€Without€Such€Ties..........................................................77Ó[AÓÔ#†X´’XXX´’A#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÐ&X¨#  &ÐÐ  x È# ÐÓ  ÓÔ#†X´’XXX´’wB#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’Ôò ò€Ô‡ Ñ XX´’ÔACKNOWLEDGMENTSÔ#†X´’X  Ñ#C#ÔÐ ° Ðó óÓ  ÓÌI€would€like€to€thank€Dr.€W.€Richard€Goe€for€serving€as€€my€major€advisor.€€Also,€thanksÏto€Dr.€Michael€Timberlake€and€Dr.€Paul€Ciccantel,€for€agreeing€to€serve€as€committeeÏmembers.€€I€would€like€to€acknowledge€the€late€Dr.€Robert€L.€Hale€of€SoutheasternÏLouisiana€University€for€encouraging€me€to€continue€on€to€graduate€school,€and€Dr.ÏDavid€P.€Shepherd€of€Southeastern€Louisiana€University€for€providing€me€with€continuedÏinspiration.€€Finally,€I€would€like€to€extend€special€thanks€to€fellow€graduate€studentÏAlpha€O.€Sheriff€€who€helped€provide€me€with€theoretical€guidance€in€the€beginning€ofÏthe€project.ÌÔ#†X´’XXX´’C#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’Ôò òÐ  ` ÐÙÙØ ØØØÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜññññññà@êê)àÔ‡ Ñ XX´’ÔChapter€IÔ#†X´’X  Ñ G#Ôññññññó óññññññˆÐ ° ÐÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ì(#?ÓññññññÔ‡ Ñ XX´’ÔÔ#† Ñ   Ñ!F#ÔÔ‡ Ñ   ÑÔò òññññÌññTABLE›€OF€CONTENTSÌó óÔ#†X´’X  ÑH#ÔÌTABLE€OFÏCONTENTS......................................................................................................IÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ì(#?ÓLIST€OF€TABLES.............................................................................................................iiiÌACKNOWLEDGMENTS................................................................................................ivÏCHAPTERÌI.€à ` àINTRODUCTION...................................................................................................1Ð ð@ ÐII.€à ` àREVIEW€OF€LITERATUREÐ Ð  Ðà ` àStatement€of€the€Problem€........................................................................................Ìà ` àSociological€Research€on€Community€....................................................................¼à ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓResearch€on€the€Internet€as€a€Community€................................................................¼à ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓPsychological€Internet€Research€..............................................................................ÌIII.€TYPES€OF€COMPUTER€MEDIATED€COMMUNICATIONÌIV.€à ` àRESEARCH€OBJECTIVES€....................................................................................Ð "` Ðà ` àForms€of€€CMC€as€a€Medium€for€Community€.........................................................¼à ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓFormation€of€Communal€Social€Relations€Over€the€Internet....................................¼à ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓGeographic€Scale€of€Community€Developed€Over€the€Internet................................¼â âà ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓDevelopment€of€Community€Sentiment€Over€the€Internet€.......................................Ð )à$& ÐÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓV.€€à ` àRESEARCH€METHODS..........................................................................................Ð ° Ðâ âà ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓSampling€Procedure...................................................................................................¼à ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óresponse€Rate...........................................................................................................ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àOrganization€of€Questionnaire€..................................................................................Ïà ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓMeasurement€of€Communal€Relations.......................................................................¼à ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓMeasurement€of€the€Geographic€Scale€of€Community..............................................¼à ` àMeasurement€of€Community€Sentiment....................................................................¼à ` àÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓMethod€of€Data€Analysis..........................................................................................ÌVI.€à ` àFINDINGS€...........................................................................................................Ó?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓÐ ° ÐÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àCharacteristics€of€the€Sample€....................................................................................Ó?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àFrequency€of€Participation€in€#friends€and€in€other€chat€rooms................................Ó?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Ó€ÏÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àOnline€Friendships€in€#friends€.................................................................................Ó?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àNature€of€ONLINE€relationships€in€#friendsÏ..............................................................Ó?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓÔ#†X´’XXX´’GH#ÔÔ‡€X”ýXXX´’Ôà ` àTraditional€Face„to„Face€Relationships€Outside€of€€CyberspaceÐ ð@ ÐÔ#†X´’XX€X”ý„[#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’Ô..............................Ô#†X´’XXX´’$\#ÔÔ‡€X”ýXXX´’ÔÐ Ð  ÐÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àSocial€Isolates..................................................................................ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àInternet€Participation€vs.€Other€Activities................................................ÌÔ#†X´’XX€X”ý„\#ÔÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àGeographic€Scope€of€Communal€Relations...............................................................Ð p&À!$ Ðâ âÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àGeographic€Scope€of€Friendship€Ties€Mediated€Through€#friends...........................Ð P( #& ÐÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àGeographic€Scale€of€Traditional€Face-To-Face€Friendship€Ties€of€Ó?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Ó#friends€Users.€Ó?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Ó¼à ` àPersons€that€Met€Face-to-Face€With€Someone€They€Met€in€#friends:Ó?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Ó€Geographic€¼à ` àScale...Ìâ âà ` àÓ ì(#ŒXÓCommunity€Sentiment€in€#friends.............................................................................ÌVII.€€DISCUSSION€AND€CONCLUSIONSÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ì(#?Óà ` àClose€Friendship€Ties€in€#friends..............................................................................ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àGeographicc€Scope€of€€Close€Friendship€Ties€inÏ#friends..........................................ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àCommunity€Sentiment€among€#Friends€Users..........................................................ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àClose€Friendship€Ties€Outside€of€Cyberspace..........................................................ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àGeographic€Scope€of€Close€Friendship€Ties€Outside€of€Cyberspace....................ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àRelocation€/Establishment€of€Ties.....................................................................ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓBIBLIOGRAPHY.......................................................................................................ÌAPPENDIX€A..........................................................................................................Ìà ` àCover€Letter......................................................................................................Ìà ` àSurvey€Questionnaire.......................................................................................ÓÓÓ ì(#ŒXÓÐ  Ð  Ðò òÓ  ÓLIST€OF€TABLESó óÐ ° ÐÓÜhÓChapter€3Ìà ì àTable€3.1€¼à ì àTypes€of€CMC€&€Characteristics€of€Each€Type€ÌÌÌChapter€5à ì àÐ P   Ðà ì àÌà ì à¼à ì àTable€5.1¼à ì àFactor€Pattern€of€Community€SentimentÏIndicatorsÌÌÌChapter€6Ìà ì àÌàQìì*ìàˆà‘6 6 B(#àTable€6.1ˆÐ ° ÐàQìì*ìàˆà‘ÆÆ(#àComparison€of€this€Sample€with€Ninth€GVU€SurveyˆÐ  ð ÐÌà ì à¼à ì àTable€6.2¼à ì àCountries€Represented€by€the€SampleÌÌà ì à¼à ì àTable€6.3¼à ì àFrequency€of€Participation€in€#friends€ChatroomÌÌà ì à¼à ì àTable€6.4¼à ì àCharacteristics€of€Close€Friendship€TiesÏDeveloped€in€Ìà ì à¼à ì à¼à ì à¼à ì à#friendsÌÌà ì à¼à ì àTable€6.5€¼à ì àDuration€of€close€Face„to„Face€friendship€ties€of€Ìà ì à¼à ì à¼à ì à¼à ì àrespondents€€Ð ,`'* Їà ì à¼à ì àTable€6.6¼à ì àCharacteristics€of€Close€Friendship€TiesÏDeveloped€Ìà ì à¼à ì à¼à ì à¼à ì àOutside€of€CyberspaceÌÌà ì à¼à ì àTable€6.7¼à ì àDuration€of€close€friendship€ties€developedÏoutside€of€Ìà ì à¼à ì à¼à ì à¼à ì àCyberspaceÌÌà ì à¼à ì àTable€6.8¼à ì àJoint€Distribution€of€respondents€with€close€à‘ìì(#àfriends€€in€#friends€vs.€those€with€close€friends€outside€ˆÐ pÀ ÐàQ}}#ìàof€€Cyberspace€ˆÌÌà ì à¼à ì àTable€6.9¼à ì àInternet€Participation€Affect€on€Other€activitiesÌÌà ì à¼à ì àTable€6.10¼à ì àGeographic€Scope€of€Close€Ties€Outside€of€Ìà ì àCyberspaceÌà ì à¼à ì àÌà ì à¼à ì àTable€6.11¼à ì àGeographic€Scope€of€Face„to„FaceÏRelationships€Ìà ì à¼à ì à¼à ì à¼à ì àEstablished€through€#friendsÌâ âÐ  +p&) Ðà ì àâ â¼à ì àTable€6.12¼à ì àCommunity€Sentiment€QuestionsÌà ì à¼à ì àÌÌà ì à¼à ì àTable€6.13¼à ì àComparison€of€the€Means€of€the€Community€Ìà ì à¼à ì à¼à ì à¼à ì àSentiment€Index€between€persons€with€close€Ìà ì à¼à ì à¼à ì à¼à ì àfriendship€ties€developed€in€#friends€and€those€Ìà ì à¼à ì à¼à ì à¼à ì àwithout€close€face-to-face€friendship€tiesÌÐ  `° Ðò òÓ  ÓACKNOWLEDGMENTSÐ ° Ðó óÓ  ÓÌÓÓI€would€like€to€thank€Dr.€W.€Richard€Goe€for€serving€as€€my€major€advisor.€€Also,€thanksÏto€€Dr.€Michael€Timberlake€and€Dr.€Paul€Ciccantel,€for€agreeing€to€serve€as€committeeÏmembers.€€I€would€like€to€acknowledge€the€late€Dr.€Robert€L.€Hale€of€SoutheasternÏLouisiana€University€for€encouraging€me€to€continue€on€to€graduate€school,€and€Dr.ÏDavid€P.€Shepherd€of€Southeastern€Louisiana€University€for€providing€me€with€continuedÏinspiration.€€Finally,€I€would€like€to€extend€special€thanks€to€fellow€graduate€studentÏAlpha€O.€Sheriff€€who€helped€provide€me€with€theoretical€guidance€in€the€beginning€ofÏthe€project.ÌÔ#†X´’XXX´’/^#ÔÔ‡ Ñ XX´’Ôò òÐ  à МññÙÙ›ññØØññØØññÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ›à@êê)àChapter€Ió óˆÐ ° ÐÔ#†X´’X  Ѽu#ÔÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ì(#?Óò òà@÷÷'àIntroductionó óˆÐ 0€ ÐÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓWhether€or€not€people€realize€it,€computers€are€playing€an€increasingly€important€role€inÏtheir€daily€lives.€€In€particular,€the€computer€network€known€as€the€Internet€hasÏexperienced€exponential€growth.€€By€one€account,€a€new€homepage€on€the€World€WideÏWeb€(WWW),€a€part€of€the€Internet,€crops€up€every€thirty€seconds.€€The€use€of€computersÏin€varying€capacities€is€replacing€face-to-face€social€interaction€between€people.€€In€someÏoffices,€co-workers€will€send€e-mail€messages€to€someone€in€the€next€cubicle€rather€thanÏinteract€with€that€person€face-to-face.€€Computer€mediated€communication€(CMC)€hasÏbecome€increasingly€widespread.€€The€extent€to€which€face-to-face€social€interaction€isÏbeing€replaced€by€CMC€òòshouldóó€be€an€important€topic€of€concern€among€sociologists.€€Ð ` Ðà ` àBy€far,€the€largest€forum€for€CMC€to€occur€is€the€Internet.€€The€Internet€is€aÏcomputer€network€that€links€computers€all€over€the€world.€€Started€as€the€ARPANETÏduring€the€Cold€War€by€the€Advanced€Research€Projects€Agency€(ARPA)€of€the€U.S.ÏDepartment€of€Defense,€it€has€grown€into€an€international€network€which€now€includesÏacademic€institutions,€governments,€commercial€establishments,€and€millions€of€privateÏindividuals€from€all€around€the€world.Ìà ` àThe€Internet€is€a€term€which€is€sometimes€misused€and€abused.€€Esther€DysonÏ(1997:1-2)€makes€a€distinction€between€the€Net€and€the€Internet.€€Dyson€sees€the€Net€as€aÏlinking€of€both€formal€and€informal€computer€networks€as€well€as€commercial€networksÏsuch€as€America€On€Line€(AOL)€that€are€linked€to€the€Internet.€€The€Internet€for€DysonÐ Ð* &( Ð(1997:1-2)€is€strictly€those€computers€hooked€together€using€the€Internet€Protocol€(IP).€ÏThis€distinction€is€probably€a€false€one,€however.€€Almost€everyone€uses€the€two€terms,ÏNet€and€Internet,€interchangeably.€€While€services€like€AOL€may€have€services€andÏfeatures€of€their€own€which€are€separate€and€apart€from€those€of€€the€Internet,€AOL€itselfÏis€still€connected€to€the€Internet.€€For€the€purposes€of€this€study,€however,€the€Internet€willÏbe€defined€as€any€computer€which€has€access€to€the€forms€of€CMC€that€this€study€willÏexamine.€€ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àThe€Internet€allows€people€sitting€behind€computer€screens,€literally€at€differentÏends€of€the€earth,€to€communicate€with€one€another€and€interact€socially€in€a€way€that€isÏunparalleled€throughout€all€of€human€history.€€One€might€argue€that€the€telephone€alsoÏallowed€for€such€communication,€but€unlike€the€Internet,€telephones€require€users€toÏknow€the€person€they€are€contacting€or€at€least€the€specific€location,€phone€number,€orÏname€of€the€person€they€wish€to€contact.€€Someone€can€simply€join€a€discussion€of€aÏparticular€topic€of€interest€on€the€Internet€without€even€knowing€any€of€the€others€who€areÏinvolved€in€the€discussion.€€These€persons€can€form€interest€groups,€relationships,€andÏeven€have€digital€romances€over€the€Internet.€€It€is€in€this€manner€that€the€technologyÏmediates€and€facilitates€the€formation€of€social€networks.€€Persons€using€various€forms€ofÏCMC€over€the€Internet€can€form€networks€of€social€interaction.ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Ó€à ` àThe€forms€of€CMC€that€make€up€the€Internet€exist€first€and€foremost€to€facilitateÐ p&À!$ Ðsome€form€of€communication€between€people.€€It€is€for€this€reason€that€these€forms€ofÏCMC€can€serve€to€facilitate€social€interaction€between€people.€€The€social€interactionÏwhich€takes€place€through€the€various€forms€of€CMC€can€involve€the€formation€of€socialÐ ,`'* Ðties€and€social€networks,€like€those€which€form€the€basis€of€€a€real€world,€bounded,Ïgeographical€community.€€ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àBoth€the€popular€press€and€even€some€of€the€academic€literature€has€used€the€termÏ"Virtual€Community"€to€refer€to€the€Internet€ever€since€the€publication€of€HowardÏRhinegold's€book€in€1993.€€Rhinegold,€also€famous€for€his€book,€€òòVirtual€Realityóó,€is€theÐ 0 € Ðperson€who€first€coined€the€term€"Virtual€Community."€€Most€of€the€research€which€hasÏbeen€done€in€this€area,€however,€takes€the€usage€of€the€term€"Virtual€Community"€as€aÏgiven,€and€does€not€evaluate€this€concept€empirically€in€any€critical€fashion.€€ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àFor€this€reason,€the€Internet€has€been€frequently€referred€to€as€a€"community"€€or€aÏ"virtual€community"€with€little€elaboration€on€how€and€why€this€is€the€case.€€Few€studiesÏhave€attempted€to€assess€the€ways€in€which€the€social€interaction€that€takes€place€over€theÏInternet€represents€a€community€in€a€sociological€sense.€€Studies€that€have€addressed€thisÏtopic€have€given€only€a€cursory€treatment€to€the€classical€community€literature.€€The€fewÏexisting€studies€that€have€attempted€to€do€this€have€been€qualitatively-oriented€andÏanecdotal.€€There€is€a€lack€of€empirical,€quantitatively-oriented€research€in€this€area.€€TheÏpurpose€of€this€study,€therefore,€will€be€to€assess€the€ways€in€which€the€networks€of€socialÏinteraction€formed€over€the€Internet€meet€a€sociological€definition€of€the€concept€of€Ï"community."€€An€empirical€examination€of€this€issue€will€be€accomplished€through€theÏuse€of€a€survey€of€€social€actors€that€interact€through€one€of€the€various€forms€of€CMC€onÏthe€Internet.€€Ìà ` àA€literature€review€of€some€of€the€classical€community€literature€and€someÏcommunity/Internet€research€is€presented€in€chapter€two.€€Chapter€two€will€first€presentÐ ,`'* Ðsome€of€the€traditional€sociological€literature€about€community€such€as€Tnnies€[1887]Ïand€Hillery€(1955),€then€it€will€move€to€a€discussion€of€more€recent€work€aboutÏtraditional€communities€by€Gusfield€(1975),€Wellman€(1979,€1988),€Goudy€(1982,€1990)Ïand€others.€The€chapter€will€conclude€with€a€discussion€of€some€more€recent€researchÏspecifically€about€the€Internet,€some€of€which€relates€to€the€idea€of€"community."ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àChapter€three€will€discuss€and€attempt€to€classify€some€of€the€wide€variety€ofÏvarious€forms€of€€CMC€found€on€the€Internet.€€There€are€many€forms€of€CMC€whichÏallow€social€interaction€to€occur€over€the€Internet.€€Real€time€forms€of€CMC€are€most€likeÏface-to-face€communication€which€occurs€in€real€world,€geographical€communities.€€ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àWhile€non€real-time€communication€does€occur€in€traditional,€real€world,Ïgeographical€communities,€the€mainstay€of€communication€in€these€communities€consistsÏof€real-time€face-to-face€interaction.€€Use€of€the€term€'community'€minimally€impliesÏsome€sort€of€social€interaction€among€groups€of€people.€€The€main€form€of€€"real€time"Ïcommunication€between€large€groups€of€people€over€the€Internet€is€comprised€of€variousÏ"chat€rooms."€€The€many€types€of€on-line€chat€rooms€will€be€discussed€in€chapter€three.€€ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Ó€Chapter€four€gives€an€overview€of€€the€research€issues€that€were€examined€by€this€study.€ÏChapter€five€discusses€the€research€methods€that€were€used.€€The€findings€are€presented€inÏchapter€six.€€Finally,€a€discussion€of€the€findings€and€conclusions€about€the€findings€areÏpresented€in€chapter€seven.ÌÐ  P( #& ÐÑ€ ÀÀ` ÑÑ7€´’XXdðXXdð7ÑÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓÑ€¿rÑÑ€W@¸Ñà@¶¶(àò òÔ‡ Ñ XX´’ÔChapter€IIÔ#†X´’X  ѧ•#Ôó óˆÐ ° Ðà@¢¢#àò òReview€of€LiteratureˆÐ 0€ ÐStatement€of€the€Problemó óÐ  ` Ðà ` àPopular€press€accounts€of€the€"Internet€Community"€or€the€"Virtual€Community"Ïraise€several€questions€which€sociologists€should€investigate.€What€is€the€nature€of€theÏsocial€relationships€established€by€persons€over€the€Internet?€€Is€the€Internet€really€aÏcommunity€in€a€sociological€sense?€€There€is€a€substantial€body€of€previous€research€withÏapplicability€to€understanding€these€questions.Ìò òSociological€Definitions€of€€the€Concept€of€€"Community"ó óÐ P  Ðà ` àFerdinand€Tnnies€([1887]€1959)€was€among€the€first€to€address€the€issue€of€whatÏis€meant€by€community.€€Tnnies€argued€that€€the€notion€of€community,€termedÏòòGemeinschaftóó,€represented€an€ideal€type€of€a€collective€will€governing€social€relationshipsÐ ð@ Ðamong€humans€(Tnnies,€[1887]€1959).׃×Ý ƒ ÿÿÝòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€Communal€social€relationships€were€based€onÐ Ð  Ðemotional€attachment,€sentiment,€and€familiarity.€€In€opposition€to€òòGemeinschaftóó,€orÐ ° Ðcommunity,€is€a€different€form€of€collective€will€based€on€rational€calculation,Ïindifference€and€self-interest.€€This€was€termed€òòGesellschaftóó.€€Tnnies€contended€thatÐ p!À Ðsocieties€were€undergoing€a€€shift€from€social€relations€based€on€community,€to€thoseÏbased€on€Gesellschaft,€as€industrial€capitalism€developed€within€the€nation€states€ofÏWestern€Europe.€€Tnnies€implicitly€gave€the€concept€of€community€a€spatial€form€byÐ '`"$ Ðcontending€that€the€prototypical€form€of€community€social€organization€could€be€found€inÏthe€rural€agrarian€village.€€€Tnnies€set€the€stage€for€nearly€all€sociological€conceptions€ofÏcommunity€which€came€later.€€Tnnies's€view€of€what€represented€community€has€hadÏmajor€influence€on€the€use€of€the€concept€of€community€in€American€Sociology.€Ìà ` àSince€Tnnies,€€there€has€been€substantial€debate€about€how€to€define€the€conceptÏof€"community"€in€sociology€(Hillery,€1955;€Jonassen,€1959;€Gusfield,€1975)€To€date,Ïthere€remains€a€lack€of€consensus€over€a€precise€definition€of€the€concept.€George€HilleryÏ(1955)€argues€that€this€problem€exists€with€concepts€in€all€disciplines.€€Hillery€(1955)Ïexamined€94€different€definitions€of€community€that€were€presented€in€the€literature€in€anÏeffort€to€identify€consensual€definitions.€€Hillery€found€three€areas€of€agreement,€orÏfactors,€that€most€of€the€94€definitions€of€community€had€in€common.€€The€first€of€theseÏthree€factors€which€Hillery€cited€was€that€most€definitions€of€community€include€in€someÏway,€people€who€are€involved€in€social€interaction.€€The€second€factor€was€thatÏcommunity€€involves€a€geographic€area.€€And€finally,€the€third€factor€found€by€HilleryÏwas€that€community€involves€people€who€have€common€ties€of€some€kind.€€The€notion€ofÏcommon€ties€encompassed€a€broad€array€of€phenomena€including€shared€lifestyles,Ïnorms,€and€values,€psychological€identification€with€a€community,€and€the€use€of€sharedÏinstitutions.€€Nearly€all€definitions€of€community€in€sociology€can€be€classified€in€termsÏof€the€three€areas€of€agreement€which€Hillery€(1955)€found:€Social€interaction,Ïgeographic€area,€and€common€ties.€€This€research€will€attempt€to€frame€the€Internet€inÏâ âterms€of€these€three€concepts.€€Ð 0*€%( Ѐà ` àJonassen,€however,€argues€that€Hillery€found€"agreement€on€only€two€points:Ð ° Ðâ ânamely€no€author€denied€that€area€"òòcouldóó,"€€be€an€element€of€community,€and€all€theÐ à Ðdefinitions€dealt€with€people€(Jonassen,€1959:18)."€€By€area,€Jonassen€is€referring€toÏphysical€geographic€propinquity.€€Jonassen's€emphasis€on€the€word€òòcouldóó€most€likelyÐ P   Ðindicates€that€Hillery€does€not€see€area€as€a€requirement€for€community,€but€merelyÏsomething€which€might€serve€as€a€factor€to€indicate€the€presence€of€community.€€SomeÏsociologists€have€referred€to€this€as€a€"loose"€conception€of€community€because€no€limitsÏare€placed€on€the€size€of€the€geographic€area€and€the€concept€of€common€tiesÏencompasses€such€a€broad€array€of€phenomena,€many€of€which€do€not€preciselyÏcorrespond€to€the€€òòGemeinschaft€óósocial€relations€conceived€by€Tnnies€(e.g.€sharedÐ à Ðinstitutions€as€being€sufficient€for€community).€€Ìà ` àMost€sociological€research€of€"community"€fits€into€one€or€more€of€these€threeÏareas€of€agreement€cited€by€Hillery€(1955).€€These€"three€areas€of€agreement,"€as€HilleryÏcalls€them,€illustrate€three€different€ways€in€which€the€concept€of€community€has€beenÏdefined€in€sociology.€Frequently,€these€concepts€have€been€used€separately€or€inÏcombination€to€define€communities.€Ìà ` àJoseph€Gusfield€(1975)€describes€two€different€òòusagesóó€of€the€term€"community"€inÐ °"  Ðsociology.€€The€first€usage€described€by€Gusfield€is€the€territorial,€physical,€boundedÏgeographical€community.€€Here,€the€emphasis€is€on€locality.€€Hillery€never€indicated€thatÏthere€were€limits€to€the€geographic€area€of€community.€This€is€an€additional€stipulationÏimposed€by€Gusfield.€€The€second€of€the€two€uses€of€the€term€"community"€whichÏGusfield€observed€was€the€relational€aspect€of€community,€where€he€argued€that€theÐ ,`'* Ðemphasis€"points€to€the€quality€or€character€of€human€relationships,€without€reference€toÏlocation"€€(Gusfield;€1975:xvi).€€In€this€usage,€a€"communal"€relationship€represents€anÏintimate,€primary€relationship€involving€emotional€attachment€as€specified€by€Tnniesòò.óóÐ pÀ Ðà ` àFlora€et€al.òò€óó(1992:14)€also€outline€three€ways€in€which€sociologists€use€the€termÐ P   Ðcommunity.€But€again,€all€of€these€involve€people€interacting€in€some€way.€€Flora€et€al.Ïindicate€that€the€first€usage€of€the€term€community€ð ðrefers€to€a€place,€a€location€in€whichÏa€group€of€people€interact€with€one€anotherðð€(Flora€et€al.€1992:14).€€The€second€€use€ofÏthe€term€they€look€at€involves€a€look€at€the€social€systems€which€are€said€to€make€upÏcommunities€and€the€organizations€and€organizational€mechanisms€in€place€whichÏfacilitate€the€interaction€among€people€characteristic€of€communities€(Flora€et€al.€1992).€ÏThe€third€way€which€Flora€et€al.€say€that€sociologists€use€the€term€community€describes€aÏð ðshared€sense€of€identity€held€by€a€group€of€peopleðð€(Flora€et€al.€1992).€€Ìò òCommunal€Social€Relationsó óÐ 0€ Ðà ` àHillery€indicated€that€social€interaction€underlies€nearly€all€sociologicalÏdefinitions€of€community.€€Hillery's€ideas€of€"social€interaction"€and€"common€ties"€haveÏbeen€addressed€by€Mark€Granovetter€(1973),€Claude€Fischer€(1977),€Barry€WellmanÏ(1979),€Willis€Goudy€(1982,€1990),€and€others.€€Wellman€(1979;€1988)€sees€communitiesÏas€social€networks€and€has€used€a€technique€known€as€social€network€analysis׃×Ý ƒ ÿÿÝòòÚ  Ú2Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€toÐ $à" Ðâ âinvestigate€this€idea€of€how€common€social€ties€influence€community.€€Claude€FischerÐ p&À!$ Ð(1977)€examined€social€relations€in€urban€settings€and€argued€that€social€relationsÏthemselves€comprised€"community."Ìâ âà ` àWellman€(1979;€Wellman,€Carrington,€and€Hall,€1988),€discusses€three€argumentsÏfound€in€the€sociological€literature€concerning€change€in€community:€The€"CommunityÏLost"€argument;€the€"Community€Saved"€argument;€and€the€"Community€Liberated"Ïargument.€€The€"Community€Lost"€argument€postulated€that€"community"€in€theÏòòGemeinschaft€óósense€would€not€survive€in€an€era€of€urbanization€as€predicted€by€TnniesÐ ð@  Ð(Wellman,€1979:1204;€Wellman,€Carrington,€and€Hall,€1988:133).€The€community€savedÏargument€used€empirical€evidence€to€show€that€proximate€neighborhood€and€kinshipÏgroups€(òòGemeinschaftóó)€"continued€to€be€abundant€and€strong"€in€urban€settingsÐ à Ð(Wellman,€1979:1205;€Wellman,€Carrington,€and€Hall,€1988:134).€Wellman,€Carrington,Ïand€Hall€indicate€that€both€the€"Lost"€and€"Saved"€arguments€"define€community€as€aÏsolidarity,€local,€kinshiplike€group"€that€is€restricted€to€small€geographic€areas€(Wellman,ÏCarrington,€and€Hall,€1988:134).Ìà ` àThe€"Liberated"€community€argument€is€perhaps€most€useful€in€attempting€toÏexplain€the€Internet€as€a€community.€Wellman,€Carrington,€and€Hall€state€that€in€thisÏargument,€community€consists€of€individuals€with€€"membership€in€multiple,Ïinterest-based€communities,€predominately€composed€of€long€distance€friendship€ties"Ï(Wellman,€1979:1206;€Wellman,€Carrington,€and€Hall,€1988:133).€€In€the€liberatedÏcommunity,€geographic€proximity€is€no€longer€necessary€for€communal€relations€asÏtechnology€permits€primary€ties€to€be€developed€and€maintained€over€broader€geographicÏspaces.€€The€Internet€would€certainly€meet€these€criteria.€Internet€users€often€participate€inÐ ,`'* Ðseveral€interest€groups,€chatrooms,€LISTSERVs,€etc.€(these€are€described€in€more€detailÏin€Chapter€3).€€Also,€Internet€relationships€are€"predominately€composed"€of€longÏdistance,€friendship€ties.Ìà ` àMark€Granovetter€studied€the€notion€of€social€ties.€€Communal€ties€are€a€form€ofÏsocial€ties€that€are€defined€as€a€strong€primary€relationship€between€two€personsÏ(Gusfield,€1975).€€Granovetter's€aim€was€to€conceptually€define€and€measure€the€strengthÏof€social€ties.€€Granovetter€(1973)€ultimately€determined€that€the€strength€of€such€tiesÏcould€be€determined€by€four€factors:€duration€of€the€tie,€emotional€attachment€involved,Ïthe€level€of€intimacy,€and€extent€of€€reciprocity€€i.e.€the€reciprocal€exchange€of€services.Ìà ` àThe€first€of€€Granovetter's€(1973)€four€dimensions€is€duration.€€Granovetter€seesÏduration€as€simply€the€length€of€time€the€social€tie€€has€existed.€€The€second€of€ÏGranovetter's€(1973)€four€dimensions€is€emotional€intensity.€€Granovetter€defines€this€asÏthe€level€of€commitment€between€the€participants€of€the€social€tie.€Participants€in€theÏsocial€tie€experience€an€emotional€bond€to€one€another.€€Parties€involved€in€the€Ïrelationship€have€an€emotional€investment€in€the€relationship.€€The€third€of€Granovetter'sÏfour€dimensions€is€intimacy.€Intimacy€involves€a€strong€level€of€commitment€betweenÏparticipants€of€the€relationship.€€According€to€Granovetter,€intimacy€means€thatÏparticipants€of€the€relationship€feel€free€to€talk€about€personal€matters€with€one€another.€ÏGranovetter's€fourth€and€final€dimension€is€reciprocity.€This€dimension€involves€theÏreciprocal€exchange€of€services€between€participants€in€the€relationship.€€To€Granovetter,Ïreciprocity€means€that€all€parties€in€the€relationship€mutually€benefit€from€the€relationshipÏand€gain€from€it.Ð ,`'* Ðà ` àGranovetter€(1973:1361)€suggests€that€a€combination€of€these€four€factors€shouldÏbe€used€to€define€the€strength€of€a€social€tie.€€Granovetter€(1973:1361)€says€that€these€fourÏfactors€can€operate€independently€of€one€another,€although€they€are€"obviously€highlyÏintercorrelated."€Using€Granovetter's€scheme,€a€"communal"€tie€would€be€a€socialÏrelationships€that€involves:€Extensive€contact€over€a€period€of€time,€emotionalÏattachment,€intimacy,€and€a€reciprocal€exchange€of€services.Ìò òCommunal€Attachment€and€Common€Tiesó óÐ ð@  Ðà ` àThe€concept€of€"communal€attachment"€would€fall€under€Hillery's€(1955)€idea€ofÏpeople€with€common€ties,€because€individuals€who€experience€strong€feelings€of€Ïattachment€to€the€community€share€this€in€common€with€one€another.€€Willis€GoudyÏ(1982)€addressed€the€concept€of€€"communal€attachment"€as€a€facet€of€community.ÏCommunal€attachment€refers€to€an€individual€feeling€psychologically€attached€to€aÏcommunity€group,€or€feeling€like€a€vital€part€of€the€community.€€Communal€attachment€isÏalso€referred€to€in€the€literature€as€communal€sentiment€(Gusfield,€1975;€Fischer,€1977).€ÏGusfield€(1975)€and€Fischer€(1977)€equate€communal€attachment€with€Geertz's€(1963)Ïconcept€of€primordial€attachment.€€This€involves€an€added€dimension€that€the€needs€andÏthe€will€of€the€individual€must€be€subordinate€to€the€needs€and€collective€will€of€theÏgroup.€But,€the€addition€of€this€dimension€results€in€a€more€restrictive€view€of€communalÏattachment.€Ìà ` àCharles€Tilly€(1973)€and€Albert€Hunter€(1978)€took€the€idea€of€communalÏattachment€one€step€further€by€introducing€the€concept€of€communal€solidarity.€€Tilly€andÏHunter€argue€that€this€involves€a€group€state€when€the€vast€majority€of€membersÐ ,`'* Ðpsychologically€identify€themselves€as€members€of€a€group€with€a€collective€interest.€ÏThey€see€this€as€a€measure€of€the€extent€of€communal€attachment€among€group€members.Ìà ` àTilly€(1973)€used€community€solidarity€as€a€means€of€explaining€collective€actionÏby€communities.€€Tilly€(1973)€sees€two€conceptions€of€community€solidarity.€€TillyÏ(1973:214)€first€conceptualizes€solidarity€as€"the€average€strength€of€existing€ties€amongÏmembers€of€the€[community]."€€He€defines€strength€(1973:214)€in€this€case€as€the€claimsÏthat€any€pair€of€individuals€have€to€one€another.€€Tilly's€(1973:214)€"alternativeÏconception€of€solidarity"€involves€the€extent€to€which€individuals€are€willing€to€makeÏcommitments€to€other€members€of€the€group€based€solely€on€their€common€groupÏmembership€alone.Ìà ` àHunter€posits€(1978)€"A€Dynamic€Model€of€Emergent€Community€Sentiments,"Ïin€which€he€describes€four€stages€of€communities.€€The€model€describes€a€progressionÏthrough€four€stages€of€community€sentiment.€€The€fourth€stage€becomes€important€inÏdiscussing€this€idea€of€community€solidarity€because€Hunter€describes€this€stage€asÏòòvicarious€óóor€òòsymbolic€communitiesóó.€€Hunter€(1978:150)€says€that€vicarious€communitiesÐ ð@ Ðare€communities€which€are€€"consciously€constructed."€€The€symbolic€attachment€whichÏcommunity€members€share€helps€lead€to€communal€solidarity.€€Scales€for€measuring€theÏdegree€of€community€attachment€have€been€developed€by€Kasarda€and€Janowitz€(1974)Ïand€Goudy€(1982).Ìà ` àNow€that€some€of€the€basic€sociological€research€on€community€has€beenÏâ âdiscussed,€the€next€section€will€try€to€present€some€of€the€research€that€has€been€doneÐ 0*€%( Ðabout€€information€technologies€€in€the€context€of€how€it€relates€to€a€discussion€ofÏcommunity.Ìâ âò òInformation€Technology€and€Communityó óÐ pÀ Ðà ` àMuch€has€been€written€about€the€use€of€Information€Technology€(IT)€whichÏincludes€the€Internet,€as€it€relates€to€the€concept€of€community.€During€the€past€twentyÏyears€or€so,€a€great€deal€of€literature€has€been€developed€about€how€to€employ€IT€in€theÏworkplace.€€Some€of€this€literature€speaks€of€the€"development"€of€"communities."€Ìà ` àHiltz€and€Turoff€(1978)€were€among€the€first€authors€to€systematically€€reference€Ïthe€idea€of€IT€as€it€relates€to€the€development€of€community€€in€their€1978€book€òòTheÐ ° ÐNetwork€Nation:€Human€Communication€via€Computeróó.€€Hiltz€and€Turoff€draw€on€theÐ à Ðnotion€of€community€as€a€social€network€and€chronicle€an€early€computer€conferencingÏsystem€known€as€EIES.€€However,€their€work€primarily€explores€€the€behavior€of€workersÏby€computer-mediation€of€work-related€tasks.€€They€argued,€however,€that€eventuallyÏsuch€forms€of€computer€mediated€communication€would€become€widespread€in€their€useÏand€expand€far€beyond€a€few€thousand€users€(xix).€€Ìà ` àOf€the€forms€of€communication€noted€by€Hiltz€and€Turoff,€Jones€(1995)€brings€upÏthe€notion€that€face-to-face€communication€may€not€necessarily€be€more€real€than€otherÏmedia€communication,€despite€the€tendency€to€believe€that€it€is.€€He€states,€"face-to-faceÏinteraction€does€not€necessarily€break€down€boundaries,€and€to€adopt€it€as€an€ideal€willÏlikewise€not€necessarily€facilitate€communication,€community€building,€or€understandingÏâ âamong€people"€(Jones,€1995:29).Ð 0*€%( Ðà ` àHiltz€and€Turoff€(1978)€discuss€models€and€forms€in€which€telecommunication€isÏâ âsubstituted€for€travel.€€They€discuss€four€distinct€types€of€organizational€dispersionÏpatterns:€The€òòcentralized€organizationóó€€has€a€single€large€headquarters€to€which€everyoneÐ pÀ Ðmust€commute.€€In€the€òòfragmentationóó€pattern,€"a€few€'coherent€subunits'€in€theÐ P   Ðorganization€break€off€and€are€located€elsewhere"€(Hiltz€and€Turoff,€1978:475).€€UsuallyÏcommunication€to€the€main€company€is€done€via€terminals.€€In€òòdispersionóó,€a€number€ofÐ `  Ðwork€centers€are€located€around€one€area,€reporting€to€the€nearest€one,€using€computersÏand€telecommunications.€€In€òòdiffusion,óó€small,€multicompany,€neighborhood€work€centers,Ð Ð  Ðand€work€at€home€are€utilized.€€Individuals€walk€or€bicycle€to€work€in€this€pattern€(HiltzÏand€Turoff,€1978:475).€€Ìà ` àIn€discussing€its€impact€on€the€various€patterns€of€work,€Hiltz€and€Turoff€(1978)Ïcite€many€problems€with€decreased€face-to-face€communication.€€They€state,€for€example,€Ï"another€problem€is€that€employee€morale€and€work-group€cohesion€may€depend€on€theÏduration€and€number€of€face-to-face€contacts,€which€decrease€the€further€we€go€along€theÏcontinuum€from€single€centralized€large€offices€to€work€at€home.€€Whether€'electronicÏsocializing'€or€substitution€of€socialization€with€friends€and€neighbors,€rather€than€withÏco-workers,€will€occur,€and€whether€they€will€be€adequate€substitutes€to€maintain€theÏinterpersonal€supports€that€people€need,€is€an€unanswered€question"€(1978:€479).€€Ìà ` àHiltz€and€Turoff€(1978)€add€that€"because€of€the€factors€of€geographic€mobilityÏand€commutation€to€work,€there€has€been€less€overlapping€of€social€ties€among€theÏvarious€groups€a€person€belongs€to."€€Hiltz€and€Turoff€(1978:481),€state,€€"We€believeÏthat€computerized€conferencing€can€serve€to€substitute€electronic€mobility€for€physicalÐ ,`'* Ðmobility,€and€permit€a€person€to€exchange€communications€on€a€fairly€deep€andÏmeaningful€level€with€mainly€different€interest-oriented€groups.€€At€the€same€time,€thereÏis€likely€to€be€considerable€connectedness€among€the€various€groups,€with€manyÏoverlapping€memberships€(481)."€Ìà ` àHiltz€and€Turoff€(1978)€go€so€far€as€to€€suggest€the€emergence€of€a€new€"tribal"Ïform€of€economic€organization€involving€groups€of€individuals€in€which€members€supplyÏtalents€to€the€collective.€€Rhinegold€(1993)€also€uses€the€tribal€analogy€in€his€descriptionÏof€€IRC€(the€Internet€Relay€Chat)€by€using€the€term€€"real€time€tribes"€€Hiltz€and€TuroffÏ(1978)€see€a€rich€diversity€of€communities€growing€out€of€computer-basedÏcommunication€systems.€€It€is€clear€that€Hiltz€and€Turoff€anticipated€the€arrival€ofÏcomputer-based€communication€as€community.€€In€a€slightly€more€recent€work€entitledÏòòOnline€Communitiesóó,€Hiltz€(1984)€indicates€that€individual€behaviors€can€be€influencedÐ P  Ðby€IT€such€as€EIES,€the€system€chronicled€in€her€case€study.€Ìà ` àBarry€Wellman€et€al.€(1996:213)€indicated€that€information€technologies€facilitateÏthe€development€of€computer-supported€social€networks€which€"are€becoming€importantÏbases€of€virtual€communities."€Wellman€et€al.€(1996)€cite€some€of€the€limitations€of€usingÏinformation€technologies€in€the€workplace,€indicating€that€on-line€communications€areÏoften€more€blunt€and€impersonal.€€This€might€seem€to€imply€that€the€development€ofÏvirtual€communities€is€not€likely.Ìà ` àNow€that€some€of€the€basic€sociological€research€on€information€technologies€hasÏbeen€discussed,€the€next€section€will€try€to€present€some€of€the€research€that€has€beenÏdone€about€the€Internet€in€the€context€of€how€it€relates€to€a€discussion€of€community.Ð ,`'* Ðò òResearch€on€the€Internet€as€a€Community€ó óÐ ° Ðà ` àThe€Internet€has€been€termed€everything€from€a€"virtual€community,"€to€anÏ"electronic€community,"€to€"online€community,"€"computer€community,"€to€"cyberÏcommunity."€€Much€of€the€literature€that€examines€this€topic€however,€is€from€disciplinesÏother€than€sociology,€including€€psychology,€computer€science,€and€massÏcommunications.€A€more€limited€amount€of€research€on€this€topic€€has€been€conducted€byÏsociologists.€€Some€studies€have€been€conducted€about€how€different€forms€ofÏComputer-Mediated€Communication€(CMC)€relate€to€communities€or€can€be€consideredÏcommunities.€€Ìà ` àClifford€Stoll,€who€was€one€of€the€founding€members€of€the€Internet€when€it€wasÏstill€known€as€the€ARPANET,€asserts€in€his€1995€Book,€òòSilicon€Snake€Oilóó,€that€claimsÐ pÀ Ðabout€the€Internet€as€a€community€are€false€and€that€the€Internet€can€only€provide€theÏillusion€of€community€(Parks€and€Floyd,€1996:80,€Young,€1998:88).€Kimberly€S.€YoungÏquotes€Stoll,€"Computer€networks€isolate€us€from€one€another,€rather€than€bringing€usÏtogether"€(Quoted€in€Young,€1998:88).€€This€quote€would€certainly€seem€to€imply€thatÏcomputer€networks€do€not€allow€for€the€formation€of€social€ties,€but€that€such€networksÏòòpreventóó€the€formation€of€social€ties,€like€the€kind€that€characterize€community.€€Parks€andÐ °"  ÐFloyd€indicate€that€other€analysts€have€also€questioned€claims€about€the€Internet€as€aÏcommunity€and€have€similarly€argued€that€"only€the€illusion€of€as€community€can€beÏcreated€by€Cyberspace"€(Parks€and€Floyd,€1996:80).Ìà ` à€Heather€Bromberg,€(1996:146-149)€argues€that€MUDs€(Multiple€UserÏDungeons/Dimensions)€provide€a€sense€of€community€for€individuals€who€are€isolated€orÐ ,`'* Ðneedy€(Bromberg,€1996:318).€€Perhaps€this€can€be€seen€as€some€form€of€communalÏattachment,€but€Bromberg€fails€to€clarify€what€she€means€by€"a€sense€of€community."€ÏShe€does€not€use€accepted€measures€of€communal€attachment€found€in€previous€researchÏ(such€as€those€used€by€Goudy,€1982,€1990;€€Buttel€et€al.,€1979;€and€Kasarda€andÏJanowitz,€1974)€to€determine€this,€but€instead€uses€anecdotal€evidence.€€Bromberg€statesÏthat€€"MUDs...offer€an€antidote€to€loneliness€and€malaise,€allow€the€exploration€ofÏalternate€identities€and€personae,€offer€the€promise€of€connectivity€and€community€andÏallow€users€to€experience€the€feeling€of€mastery€over€their€environments"€(Bromberg,Ï1996:146).€€However,€Bromberg€offers€no€empirical€evidence€that€this€conclusion€can€beÏgeneralized€€to€a€larger€population€of€some€type.€€Ìà ` àIn€reviewing€community€literature€as€it€relates€to€the€Internet,€Steven€Jones,Ï(1995)€uses€Effrat's€notion€of€community,€which€has€three€principal€components:€(1)Ïcommunity€as€solidarity€institutions;€(2)€community€as€primary€interaction;€(3)Ïcommunity€as€institutionally€distinct€groups.€€Jones€(1995)€suggests€that€the€third€ofÏthese,€community€as€institutionally€distinct€groups,€makes€the€most€sense€in€the€contextÏof€CMC.€Jones€says€that€all€three€of€these€features€appear€in€CMC.Ìà ` àJones€goes€on€to€argue€that€there€is€a€need€to€conceptualize€community€as€aÏcomplex€of€social€relationships,€which€has€not€been€sufficiently€explored.€€He€argues€thatÏCMC€is€socially€produced€space,€in€which€spatiality€is€distinguished€from€physical€space.€ÏJones€is€saying€that€this€is,€in€effect,€a€new€kind€of€space€that€is€not€physical€space,€butÏinstead€is€a€kind€of€socially€created€space.€€Since€CMC€€decenters€place,€it€challenges€theÏtraditional€framework€as€community€being€based€on€proximate€geographic€space.Ð ,`'* Ðà ` àJones€addresses€this€issue€when€he€states€that€"Communities€formed€by€CMCÏhave€been€called€'virtual€communities'€and€defined€as€incontrovertibly€social€spaces€inÏwhich€people€still€meet€face-to-face,€but€under€new€definitions€of€both€'meet'€and€'face'"Ï(Jones,€1995:19).€€Therefore,€for€Jones,€community€is€predicated€on€the€common€beliefs,Ïinterests,€knowledge,€and€information€apart€from€physical€space.€€Community€consists€ofÏsocial€networks€and€social€interaction.€€Community€is€no€longer€a€"where."Ì€à ` àJones€reviews€such€early€work€as€Licklider€and€Taylor€who€discuss€whatÐ ð@  Ðinteractive€communities€on-line€would€not€be--€communities€with€the€same€geographicalÏarea.€€These€communities€would€be€€people€with€common€interests€and€goals.€€This€viewÏof€community€differs€from€the€traditional€view€of€community€sociology€as€that€ofÏ"locality-based€action"€which€emphasizes€geographic€area.€€Ìà ` àJones€(1995:24)€uses€Bender's€(1978)€definition€of€community,€which€viewsÏcommunities€as€social€networks,€not€as€places.€€This€is€similar€to€Wellman's€(1979)Ïnotion€of€€the€"Liberated€Community."€€Jones€cites€two€reasons€for€€using€social€networksÏas€a€definition€useful€for€the€study€of€community€€over€the€Internet€and€other€forms€ofÏCMC.€€First,€Jones€argues€that€such€a€definition€of€community,€is€based€on€socialÏinteraction,€which€creates€communities.€€Second,€this€definition€shifts€the€focus€awayÏfrom€place.€€Jones€argues€that€in€studying€CMC,€it€is€necessary€to€put€less€emphasis€onÏ(but€not€eliminate€completely)€the€consideration€of€€bounded€geographical€territoryÏ(Jones,€1995:24).€€Ìà ` àJones€goes€on€to€discuss€the€literature€related€to€pseudo-community€and€theÏdecentering€of€place.€€Jones€uses€Beniger's€definition€of€pseudo-community€--€"reversal€ofÐ ,`'* Ða€centuries€old€trend€from€organic€community€based€on€personal€relationships--toÏimpersonal€associated€integrated€by€mass€means"€(Beniger,€1987:369).€€Jones€discussionÏtakes€us€from€the€traditional€communal€relationships€(òòGemeinschaftóó)€to€highly€impersonalÐ pÀ Ðassociations€(òòGesellschaftóó),€moving€from€face-to-face€dialogue€as€community€to€symbolicÐ P   Ðor€indirect€group€relationships.€€Jones€borrowed€the€notion€of€òòGemeinschaft€óóandÐ 0 € ÐòòGesellschaft€óó€from€the€work€of€Ferdinand€Tnnies.€€Jones€is€unclear€about€what€he€meansÐ `  Ðby€the€decentering€of€place,€but€obviously,€the€Internet€removes€the€emphasis€on€€placeÏfound€in€a€traditional€òòGemeinschaftóó-type€community.€€Jones€suggests€that€the€actual€roleÐ Ð  Ðof€computer-mediated€communication€as€community€still€has€not€been€fully€settled.€€Ìà ` àWhile€not€specifically€investigating€the€Internet€in€the€context€of€a€sociologicalÏconception€of€community,€Parks€and€Floyd€(1996)€examined€the€nature€of€relationshipsÏon€the€USENET€part€of€the€Internet.€€Recall€that€community€typically€involves€socialÏrelationships€of€some€kind.€€Parks€and€Floyd€used€a€survey€and€came€up€with€someÏempirical€findings€about€the€nature€of€relationships€on€USENET.€They€found€for€exampleÏthat€women€were€significantly€more€likely€to€have€formed€on-line€relationships,€andÏgreater€numbers€of€such€relationships,€than€men.€Ìà ` àLudlow€(1996)€examines€the€social€change€brought€about€by€the€introduction€ofÏcomputer€technology€as€it€relates€to€the€idea€of€community.€€He€states€that€"With€thatÏchange€has€come€a€sense€of€alienation€and€loss€of€community.€€Increasingly,€though,€itÏbecomes€possible€to€recreate€that€lost€community€in€cyberspace,€by€forming€communitiesÏof€interest€that€are€not€bound€by€the€accidents€of€geography."€€He€continues€by€asking€if€Ïthey€are€really€communities€(Ludlow,€1996:xv).€€Ludlow€addresses€the€issue€of€whetherÐ ,`'* Ðyou€can€ð ðreally€call€someone€a€'neighbor'€if€you€can't€see€her€face€or€hear€her€voiceððÏ(Ludlow,€1996:xv).€€€He€questions€the€idea€of€€'the€virtual€community.'€€He€also€asks€thatÏð ðIf€we€give€our€allegiances€to€virtual€communities,€are€we€abandoning€our€geographicÏcommunities€in€a€sort€of€'urban€flight'?ðð€(Ludlow,€1996:xv).€€Ludlow€also€asks€ð ðto€whatÏextent€should€other€communities,€and€the€legal€system€itself,€acknowledge€and€respectÏvirtual€communities?ðð€(Ludlow,€1996:xv).Ìà ` àRhinegold€(1993)€gives€an€in-depth€discussion€of€community€and€CMC€on€theÏInternet€Relay€Chat€(IRC).€€Communication€on€IRC€is€stripped€to€the€bare€essentialsÏ...text€on€a€computer€screen€(Rhinegold,€1993).€€His€experiences€as€a€member€of€theÏWhole€Earth€'Lectronic€Link€(WELL)€on-line€community€is€the€basis€for€much€of€hisÏview€of€computer€culture.€€He€states€that€there€is€something€real€about€the€on-lineÏcommunity:€"There's€always€another€mind€there.€€It's€like€having€the€corner€bar,€completeÏwith€old€buddies€and€delightful€newcomers€...€€and€fresh€graffiti€and€letters,€exceptÏinstead€of€putting€on€my€coat,€shutting€down€the€computer€and€walking€down€to€theÏcorner,€I€just€invoke€my€telecom€program€and€there€they€are.€€It's€a€place"€(Rhinegold,Ï1993:24).Ìà ` àBaym€(1995:152)€states€"Like€the€smiley€face€dictionaries,€list€of€nicknames€areÏoften€compiled€and€posted€to€the€group€or€e-mailed€to€confused€newcomers.€€Again€theÏsynchronous€collection€and€codification€of€the€group's€expressive€forms€demonstrates€theÏself-reflexivity€of€[the]€computer-mediated€community."ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà ` àBaym€indicates€that€these€factors€are€"the€most€salient€preexisting€forces€on€theÏdevelopment€of€computer-mediated€community€(Baym,€1995:161).€€Baym€seesÐ ,`'* Ðcomputer-mediated€communication€as€a€community.€€Many€researchers€discussÏcommunication€on€the€computer€as€being€either€synchronistic€or€asynchronistic.€€BaymÏdefines€these€communication€styles:€ÌÓÓà ` à"With€synchronistic€communication,€all€participants€are€on-line€simultaneously€Ìà ` àand€read€and€respond€to€one€another€immediately€...With€asynchronistic€Ìà ` àcommunication,€participants€need€not€be€on-line€simultaneously€and€can€read€and€Ìà ` àrespond€at€different€times"€(142).€€ÌÌÓÓÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓIf€€community€can€be€defined€as€"group€interest",€then€it€could€be€concluded€thatÏcommunity€could€involve€Internet€communication€using€both€these€types€ofÏcommunication.€€Ìà ` àIn€her€dissertation,€Clara€Surratt€(1996:1),€examined€if€Internet€communicationÏallowed€for€interaction€which€was€"as€meaningful€as€face-to-face€interaction"€as€it€relatesÏto€the€type€of€face-to-face€interaction€in€what€she€has€termed€"real€communit[ies]."€ÏSurratt€argued€that€face-to-face€communications€have€just€as€much€potential€to€beÏanonymous€as€Internet€communications.€€Surratt€(1996:568)€found€that:ÌÓÓÓ XÓEvery€CMC€system€[she]€analyzed€in€[her€research]€has€evolved€from€a€piece€ofÏcommunications€software€into€a€complex€social€system,€complete€with€beliefÏsystems,€sets€of€values,€cultural€norms,€and€systems€of€socialization,€socialÏcontrol,€and€stratification€requisite€€for€any€collection€of€individuals€to€be€definedÏas€a€human€community.ÌÓ XÓÓÓÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓSurratt€is€unclear€about€how€the€presence€of€these€criteria€serves€to€form€a€"community."Ìà ` à€Elizabeth€Reid€(1991)€argues€that€chat-rooms€are€communities.€€As€she€attemptsÏto€construct€communities,€Reid€(1991:32-33)€quotes€Geertz's€(1963)€understanding€ofÏculture€as€a€"system€of€meanings€that€give€significance€to€shared€behaviours€which€mustÏbe€interpreted€from€the€perspective€of€those€engaged€in€them."€€€She€continues€quotingÏGeertz,€who€says€that€culture€€is€"a€set€of€control€mechanisms€--€plans,€recipes,€rules,Ð ,`'* Ðinstructions€--€for€the€governing€of€behavior"€(1991:33).€€Based€on€this€definition,€GeertzÏmight€see€the€Internet€as€a€community€since€users€have€symbolic€systems€and€textualÏsignificance€to€communicate€as€well€as€"netiquette,"€to€punish€those€who€abuse€the€rulesÏ(1991:33).€€Reid€goes€on€to€state€that€community€does€exist€on€the€IRC.€€It€is€createdÏthrough€collective€beliefs€and€symbolic€strategies.€€Ìà ` àSherry€Turkle€(1995:88)€refers€to€MUDs€(Multiple-User€Dungeons/Dimensions)Ïas€"online€communities."€Just€as€can€be€found€in€physically€bounded€geographicalÏcommunities,€MUDs€have€rules€and€regulations€according€to€Turkle.Ìà ` àEsther€Dyson€(1997),€a€technology€analyst,€refers€to€the€Internet€as€aÏ"community"€throughout€her€book.€€She€argues€that€there€are€many€communities€on-line.€ÏDyson€(1997:31)€states€that€"Most€individuals€live€in€several€communities€online,€just€asÏthey€do€in€the€physical€world."€€She€argues€that€the€Internet€can€even€be€used€to€fosterÏcommunity€development:ÌÓÓà ` àUsed€right,€the€Internet€can€be€a€powerful€enabling€technology€fostering€the€Ìà ` àdevelopment€of€communities€because€it€supports€the€very€thing€that€creates€a€Ìà ` àcommunity--human€interaction.€€One€benefit€of€the€Internet€is€that€it€allows€the€Ìà ` àformation€of€communities€independent€of€geography€(Dyson,€1997:32).ÌÌÌÓÓò òPsychological€Internet€Research€ó óà À àÐ °"  Ðà ` àPsychologists€have€conducted€some€research€on€the€nature€of€InternetÏRelationships.€€Sociologist/Psychologist€Sherry€Turkle,€in€a€1984€book,€first€investigatedÏthe€nature€of€person-computer€relationships.€€In€this€work,€Turkle€(1984)€argued€thatÏcomputers€affect€the€development€of€self,€and€alter€one's€self€concept.€€Most€notably,ÏTurkle€(1984)€measured€the€intensity€of€the€relationship€between€computers€and€theirÐ ,`'* ÐÑW@¸'ÑÑ  ÑÑ  ÑññÑW@¸'ÑÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÑW@¸ÑÑ  ÑÑ  Ñññusers.€€While€probably€not€developed€to€the€level€of€intensity€of€relationships€whichÏcharacterize€communal€relationships,€this€was€a€preliminary€attempt€to€examineÏcomputer-mediated€relationships,€even€if€they€are€one€way€relationships€between€a€userÏand€a€computer.Ìà ` àIn€a€more€recent€book,€Turkle€(1995)€investigated€how€computer€mediated€socialÏrelationships/interactions€influence€individual€identity.€€Turkle€describes€the€virtualÏnature€of€MUDs.€€She€discusses€how€the€human€interaction€in€MUDs€is€considered€saferÏthan€real-world€interaction,€and€she€discusses€the€"unreal"€or€fantasy€nature€of€the€socialÏinteraction€which€takes€place€in€MUDs.€€Turkle€(1995:9)€showed€how€the€psychology€ofÏcomputer€mediated€human€interaction€suggested€that€it€involves€how€users€view€theirÏreflections€in€"the€mirror€of€the€machine€(quoted€in€Allen;€1996:11)."€€Turkle's€(1995)Ïfocuses€mainly€on€the€relationships€that€individuals€have€to€their€computers€and€howÏthese€relationships€influence€individuals'€conceptions€of€self.€€This€is€only€important€inÏthe€context€of€community€in€that€individuals'€views€of€how€others€see€them€mightÏinfluence€the€kinds€of€social€relations€which€are€needed€for€community€to€exist.€€Ìà ` àChristina€Allen€(1996)€wrote€a€thesis€which€examined€"Virtual€Identities:€TheÏSocial€Construction€of€Cybered€Selves."€€This€is€somewhat€similar€to€Turkle's€(1984)Ïbook€in€that€it€examines€the€role€of€computers€in€the€construction€of€one's€sense€of€self.€ÏAllen's€thesis€examined€œMOOs€›(discussed€in€Chapter€3)œ.›€€It€€drew€from€several€disciplinesÏincluding€psychology€and€sociology.€The€next€section€addresses€Hillery's€three€areas€ofÏâ âagreement€as€they€relate€specifically€to€the€Internet.€€€Ð 0*€%( Ðò òÔ&   Ôâ ââ ââ âSocial€Relationships€&€Common€Ties€On-Lineó óÐ ° Ðà ` àTwo€of€Hillery's€three€areas€of€agreement,€people€involved€in€social€interactionÏÔ' ° Ôand€people€with€common€ties,€€are€addressed€by€Wellman€et€al.€(1996)€when€they€indicateÏthat€the€Internet€and€other€computer€based€communications€technologies€encourage€theÏformation€of€specialized€relationships,€and€they€go€on€to€say€that€many€on-line€ties€doÏmeet€the€criteria€for€strong€ties.€Wellman€et€al€(1996)€also€indicate€that€the€very€nature€ofÏthe€Internet€and€other€computer€based€technologies€encourage€the€development€of€weakÏon-line€ties.€€Wellman€et.€al€(1996)€do€suggest€that€on-line€ties€tend€to€be€segmentalizedÏbecause€users€can€easily€participate€in€different€chat€rooms.€€Parks€and€Floyd€(1996)€alsoÏexamined€on-line€relationships€and€appear€to€have€similar€findings.Ìò òGeography€and€the€Internetó óÐ pÀ Ðà ` àThe€second€of€Hillery's€three€areas€of€agreement,€geographic€area,€obviously€isÏnot€as€important€as€the€other€two€in€the€case€of€the€Internet.€The€Internet€does€indeedÏmeet€both€of€the€two€criteria€which€Jonassen€(1959)€says€Hillery€found€were€the€only€twoÏpoints€of€agreement€in€defining€a€community.€€Benedikt€(1991)€argues€that€the€InternetÏdoes€indeed€have€physical€and€geographical€aspects,€and€one€might€be€able€to€stretch€thisÏto€meet€the€area€requirement€of€community.€Benedikt€is€referring€to€the€physical€wiringÏand€hardware€aspects€of€the€Internet€as€well€as€the€people€involved€while€sitting€at€theirÏInternet€connected€computers.€€John€Barlow€(1995)€tries€to€address€the€question€of€"IsÏthere€a€there€in€cyberspace?"€He€seems€to€conclude€that€there€really€is€no€geographic€ÌÓB.÷o ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒXBÓconcomitant€to€the€Internet€and€that€"virtual€communities"€are€not€really€communities€atÏœall.Ð ,`'* ÐÑ¿r)ÑÑ  ÑÑ  ÑññÑ¿r ÑÑ  ÑÑ  Ñññ›à ÷ àThe€œareas›€of€agreement€cited€by€Hillery€(1955)€will€be€used€as€the€guidingÏframework€of€this€research.€The€first€area€of€agreement€cited€by€Hillery,€socialÏrelationships,€will€be€examined€in€terms€of€Granovetterððs€(1973)€four€dimensions€of€theÏstrength€of€a€social€tie,€i.e.€emotional€attachment,€intimacy,€reciprocity,€and€duration.ÌEmotional€attachment€was€also€cited€by€TÔ‡X´’XXX´’ÔÔ#†X´’XXX´’„)#Ônnies€œ([1887]1959)€in€his€discussion€ofÐ 0 € ÐòòGemeinschaftóó.›€€The€second€of€Hilleryððs€areas€of€agreement€that€this€research€will€examineÐ `  Ðis€the€role€of€geographic€territory.€€The€third€of€Hilleryððs€areas€of€agreement€which€thisÏstudy€will€examine€is€psychological€identification€with€the€community€group.€€ThisÏdimension€will€be€examined€in€terms€of€community€attachment.œÐ  ° ÐÑ€ ÀÀ` ÑÑ7€´’XXdðXXdð7ÑÓH+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#÷o ¸ ŠXHÓÔ‡ Ñ XX´’Ôà@‚‚(àò òChapter€IIIó óˆÐ ° ÐÔ#†X´’X  Ñ,#Ôà@L L àò òTypes€of€€Computer€Mediated€Communicationó óˆÐ 0€ Ðà ` àThere€are€a€number€of€different€forms€of€computer€mediated€communicationÏ(CMC)€by€which€people€can€communicate€over€the€Internet.€€The€purpose€of€this€chapterÏwill€be€to€classify€the€major€types€of€Internet€communication€into€categories€based€onÏsimilar€characteristics€and€determine€which€types€might€permit€social€interactionÏnecessary€for€the€formation€of€community.Ìà ` àA€primary€interest€of€this€study€in€examining€the€types€of€CMC€is€that€they€canÏlead€to€the€formation€of€€Computer€Mediated€Interaction€Networks€(CMINs);€that€is,€theÏformation€of€a€social€interaction€network€among€persons€that€is€mediated€by€computers.€ÏThe€formation€of€CMINs€is€possible€through€many€of€the€synchronous€types€of€CMC,€butÏis€not€possible€to€the€same€extent€using€asynchronous€types€of€CMC€which€will€beÏdiscussed€later€because€the€nature€of€communication€is€fundamentally€different.€€ThisÏdistinction€is€necessary€because€CMC€can€be€limited€to€one-way€communication€in€theÏcase€of€€asynchronous€types€of€communication.€€In€synchronous€types€of€CMC,€there€isÏmulti-way€communication€in€which€two,€three,€four,€or€four-hundred€people€can€interactÏsimultaneously€in€real€time.€€The€ability€to€interact€in€this€fashion€is€an€importantÏfoundation€of€community.Ìà ` àOne€category€of€Internet€communication€is€what€I€have€termed€synchronous€orÏreal-time€communication.€€This€type€of€Internet€communication€involves€interactionÏwhich€occurs€live€between€participants€who€are€logged€on€to€different€computersÐ Ð* &( Ðsimultaneously.€€I€call€this€"synchronous"€because€it€requires€immediate€activity€andÏimmediate€active€response€and€involvement€between€the€participants.€€It€is€probably€thisÏtype€of€Internet€communication€which€is€most€analogous€to€the€type€of€face-to-faceÏcommunication€which€takes€place€in€bounded€geographical€communities.€€Examples€ofÏthis€type€of€communication€include€the€various€types€of€Internet€Chatting.Ìò òà ` àó óThe€term€"chatting"€is€used€in€this€thesis€as€a€general€term€to€refer€to€any€type€ofÐ `  Ðsynchronous€Internet€communication€which€occurs€between€social€actors.€€It€is€aÏreal-time€form€of€communication.€€The€term€"chat€room"€is€used€in€this€thesis€as€aÏgeneral€term€to€refer€to€any€place€or€channel€where€synchronous€communication€isÏoccurring€in€real€time€between€social€actors.€€Ìà ` àAnother€category€of€Internet€communication€is€what€I€have€termed€asynchronousÏcommunication.€€Examples€of€this€type€of€communication€are€e-mail,€LISTSERVs,ÏUsenet€newsgroups,€Gopher,€the€WWW,€and€even€some€of€the€advertisements€found€onÏthe€web.€€I€call€these€asynchronous€forms€of€Internet€communication€because€they€areÏpassively€read,€and€response€time€is€typically€much€slower€than€in€synchronousÏcommunication.€€This€type€of€communication€is€synchronous€in€the€sense€that€the€userÏmust€actively€read€or€seek€out€the€information,€but€it€does€not€have€the€same€dynamic€asÏreal-time€communication,€because€the€nature€and€type€of€communication€is€somewhatÏdifferent.€€While€individuals€can€write€in€response€to€something€else,€they€cannot€get€theÏsame€kind€of€immediate€clarification€of€unclear€thoughts€or€ideas,€and€participants€areÏmore€likely€to€ask€for€clarification€of€unclear€thoughts€or€ideas€which€occur€inÏsynchronous€forms€of€Internet€communication.€€In€comparison,€synchronousÐ ,`'* Ðcommunication€is€written€in€real-time€as€a€response€to€something€that€has€just€beenÏwritten€by€someone€else€in€real€time.€€Also,€asynchronous€communication€allows€the€userÏto€spend€more€time€in€constructing€a€response€because€of€its€less€immediate,€delayedÏnature.Ìà ` àOne€type€of€"synchronous"€Internet€communication€is€IRC€or€mIRC׃×Ý ƒ ÿÿÝòòÚ  Ú3Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×.€€IRC,€orÐ 0 € ÐInternet€Relay€Chat,€was€first€formed€in€1988€by€a€Researcher€in€Finland€as€a€text-basedÏway€of€chatting.€This€is€strictly€a€text-based€means€of€CMC€which€is€designed€primarilyÏto€enable€people€from€around€the€world€to€communicate€on€topics€of€specific€interest.€ÏDiscussions€of€varying€topics€are€organized€into€different€"Channels."€Each€channel€hostsÏa€discussion€on€a€specific€topic€with€different€users€which€participate€in€real-time,€liveÏconversations.€€It€is€possible€for€users€to€join€several€"channels"€at€once.€€Users€inÏIRC/mIRC€must€choose€a€nickname,€sometimes€referred€to€as€a€"nick,"€which€enablesÏthem€to€communicate€with€one€another.€€Ìà ` àIRC/mIRC€is€probably€the€most€widespread€means€of€real-time€òòInternetóóÐ ` ÐCommunication€in€terms€of€the€total€number€of€users.€€Other€proprietary€services€such€asÏCompuServe€or€AOL€have€their€own€forms€of€CMC€which€are€more€widespread€on€theÏservices€themselves,€but€not€across€the€Internet.€While€no€one€knows€the€exact€number€ofÏIRC€users,€the€number€is€undoubtedly€quite€large.€Unlike€MUDs€(Multiple€UserÏDungeons/Dimensions,€discussed€later),€which€generally€exist€on€only€one€Internet€site,Ð p&À!$ Ðthe€same€IRC€channels€may€exist€on€hundreds€of€different€Internet€sites,€called€servers.€ÏEach€of€these€servers€has€a€large€number€of€users.€€Each€IRC€channel€or€chatroom€mayÏhave€several€hundred€users€on€each€IRC€server,€while€other€forms€of€€synchronous€CMCÏare€generally€limited€to€one€site.Ìà ` à€€The€type€of€social€interaction€which€occurs€in€IRC/mIRC€channels€could€beÏconducive€to€the€formation€of€intimate€social€ties€and€social€relationships€thatÏcharacterize€a€community.€€A€high€number€of€IRC/mIRC€channels€are€specificallyÏdedicated€to€allowing€users€to€interact€and€form€social€relationships€of€some€kind.€€A€fairÏnumber€of€these€channels€which€are€organized€around€the€formation€of€socialÏrelationships€are€even€dedicated€to€the€formation€of€romantic€relationships.€€AnecdotalÏevidence€suggests€that€people€who€initially€met€on€IRC/mIRC€have€moved€across€theÏcountry€to€be€with€those€whom€they€have€met,€and€some€have€even€gotten€married.€€IfÏany€form€of€CMC€has€the€potential€for€the€formation€of€€primary€relationships,׃×Ý ƒ ÿÿÝòòÚ  Ú4Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€it€wouldÐ 0€ Ðcertainly€be€IRC/mIRC.Ìà ` àThe€total€number€of€users€of€IRC€is€virtually€unlimited,€unlike€some€other€typesÏof€synchronous€CMC€on€the€Internet.€€While€specific€channels€may€limit€the€number€ofÏusers,€these€limits€are€generally€quite€high.€€IRC€is€less€anarchistic€than€some€other€formsÏof€CMC€because€the€channel€operator€has€the€power€to€terminate€undesired€users€at€anyÏtime.€€This€feature€also€exists€on€some€other€forms€of€CMC,€but€is€far€more€common€onÏIRC.€€IRC€is€typically€accessed€by€means€of€a€special€program€which€resides€either€on€anÐ P( #& ÐInternet€€connected€Mainframe,€or€in€the€case€of€mIRC,€on€a€PC€or€Mac€that€has€a€modemÏor€a€direct€Internet€connection.Ìà ` àThe€closest€thing€to€emotions€on€IRC€are€emoticons,€or€textual€representations€ofÏfaces.€Emoticons,€are€a€"system€of€symbols€which,€when€combined,€yield€picturesÏintended€to€convey€body€language€and€facial€expressions"€(Surratt,€1996:76).€These€areÏthings€like€smiley€faces.€One€of€the€more€common€examples€of€this€is€expressed€as€:).€ÏThe€colon€represents€the€two€eyes€and€the€parenthesis€represents€the€mouth€(of€a€smileyÏthat€has€been€turned€sideways).€However,€in€IRC€communication,€there€is€simply€no€wayÏto€verify€who€is€chatting€with€whom.€€ññ›ññÌà ` àMany€IRC€channels€or€chatrooms,€such€as€the€#friends€channel,€have€strictlyÏenforced€norms€of€kindness€and€generosity€make€people€feel€comfortable€regardless€ofÏwhat€they€discuss.€€Users€who€violate€the€norms€of€kindness€and€generosity€are€simplyÏññññtemporaññññrialññññññññuññññññññyññññññtemporarilyññ€ð ðkicked€offðð€orññ€ññññ€tññññemporarily€ññ"banned."€€These€norms€might€also€account€forÏthe€high€levels€of€community€sentiment€among€€#friends€users.€€ññœññÌà ` àA€recently€developed€part€of€the€Internet€known€as€the€WorldWide€Web€(Web€orÏWWW€for€short),€has€lately€become€a€home€for€chatting€to€occur€over€the€Internet.€ÏInitially,€the€web€was€designed€as€a€place€for€one-way€communication€and€disseminationÏof€€information.€The€WWW€is€similar€to€GOPHER,€which€was€an€earlier€text-basedÏinformation€retrieval€system€developed€by€the€University€of€Minnesota€which€could€beÏused€to€navigate€the€Internet.€€While€this€type€of€communication€still€makes€up€the€bulkÏâ âof€web€traffic€by€far,€recent€innovations€have€allowed€the€formation€of€various€ways€inÐ 0*€%( Ðwhich€people€can€chat€in€real€time€over€the€web.€€This€type€of€CMC€is€what€is€referred€toÏhereafter€as€Web€chatting.Ìâ âà ` àWeb€chatting€is€a€type€of€€CMC€which€is€conducted€over€a€part€of€the€InternetÏknown€as€the€WorldWide€Web€(WWW).€€This€type€of€chatting€is€usually€text-basedÏbecause€of€the€nature€of€webpages,€but€sometimes,€as€mentioned€above,€an€icon€or€photoÏcan€be€associated€with€the€on-line€nickname€of€the€chat€participants.€€This€type€ofÏchatting€requires,€at€a€minimum,€a€special€piece€of€software€called€a€web€browser€orÏInternet€Browser€(such€as€Netscape€Navigator€or€Microsoft€Internet€Explorer),€andÏgenerally€requires€other€software€programs€or€sub-programs€which€work€with€theÏbrowser.€€These€programs€are€sometimes€referred€to€as€"plugins."€One€type€of€WebÏchatting€is€called€ICQ€(computer€shorthand€for€"I€seek€you").€€While€the€web€itself€doesÏcontain€a€fair€amount€of€graphics,€images,€sounds,€and€even€videos,€this€form€of€chatting,Ïlike€IRC/mIRC,€is€also€text-based.Ì€€€€à ` àAnother€type€of€synchronous€CMC€€is€MUDs׃×Ý ƒ ÿÿÝòòÚ  Ú5Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×.€€€In€this€thesis,€I€use€the€termÐ ` ÐMUDs€as€a€general€category€which€includes€MUDs,€MOOs׃`×Ý ƒ ÿÿÝòòÚ  Ú6Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×,€MUSHs׃„×Ý ƒ ÿÿÝòòÚ  Ú7Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×,€and€MUCKs׃d ×Ý ƒ ÿÿÝòòÚ  Ú8Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×.€Ð ð@ ÐAll€of€these€are€different€types€of€€MUDs€which€are€basically€on-line€interactive€roleÏplaying€games€which€are€based€on€MUD€technology.€€Unlike€IRC,€interaction€isÏconstrained€within€the€rules€of€a€game.€€The€types€of€interaction€which€occur€inÏMUDs/MOOs€fall€within€the€confines€of€an€overall€objective€of€winning€a€game€of€someÏkind.€€This€may€involve€things€such€as€capturing€a€dragon€for€example.€€MUDs/MOOsÏare€typically€described€as€imaginary€worlds€in€which€people€interact,€but€this€interactionÏtakes€place€only€in€the€context€of€people's€adopted€roles€in€the€framework€of€a€game.€€InÏthe€context€of€MUDs,€participants€can€create€buildings,€cities,€etc.€€which€remain€after€theÏparticipant€leaves.€€MUD€characters€live€and€die.€€MUD€cities€are€built€and€destroyed.€ÏMUDs€are€typically€accessed€through€Telnet,€a€computer€program/protocol€which€linksÏInternet€connected€computers€together€and€allows€different€types€of€Internet€computers€toÏcommunicate€with€one€another.€€These€types€of€relationships€would€clearly€not€beÏconsidered€standard€social€relationships€because€the€interaction€is€fantasy€oriented€andÏconfined€within€the€rules€of€the€game.€€As€a€result,€MUDs€would€probably€not€facilitateÏformation€of€the€kind€of€real€world€social€relationships€which€are€found€in€other€forms€ofÏCMC.Ìà ` àTalkers,€as€the€name€implies,€are€places€on€the€Internet€where€users€go€to€simplyÏ"talk."€€Really,€participants€aren't€"talking"€at€all,€but€as€in€the€case€of€IRC/mIRC€andÏMUDs/MOOs,€they€are€exchanging€text-based€messages€in€real€time.€€Talkers€are€basedÏon€the€same€technology€as€MUDs.€€Like€MUDs/MOOs,€talkers€are€also€accessed€throughÏTelnet.€€Essentially,€they€are€MUDs€that€have€simply€de-emphasized€the€game€aspect.€ÏThe€environment€on€talkers€seems€to€be€a€bit€more€friendly€than€MUDs,€and€talkersÐ ,`'* Ðtypically€have€a€much€smaller€number€of€users.€€One€might€argue€that€this€smallerÏnumber€of€participants€allows€for€on-line€relationships€to€more€easily€develop.€€Due€to€theÏnature€of€talkers,€it€seems€that€these€could€indeed€facilitate€the€formation€of€intimateÏsocial€relationships€like€those€found€in€IRC.€€While€there€is€somewhat€of€a€game€aspect€toÏtalkers,€it€has€been€de-emphasized€to€such€an€extreme€that€it€is€not€likely€to€interfere€inÏthe€formation€of€relationships€as€it€would€in€MUDs.€€Ìà ` àUp€to€this€point,€most€of€the€types€of€"chatting"€which€have€been€discussed€haveÏbeen€text-based.€€Most€Internet€chatting€is€text-based.€€Text-based€chatting€has€far€fewerÏcomputer€hardware€requirements€and€is€generally€easier€to€access€than€other€types€of€ÏInternet€chatting.€€For€this€reason,€text-based€chatting€also€seems€to€be€far€more€commonÏthan€non-text-based€mediums€of€chatting.Ìà ` àGenerally€speaking,€non-text-based€methods€of€chatting€are€essentially€text-basedÏchatting€which€is€accompanied€by€pictures,€photos,€avatars,€or€icons.€€Some€forms€ofÏnon-text-based€chatting€are€strictly€cartoon-like€graphical€depictions€of€the€chatÏparticipants.€€These€cartoon-like€characters€are€what€are€referred€to€as€avatars.€€SomeÏforms€of€web€chatting€allow€for€chat€participants€to€include€a€photo,€an€icon,€or€any€typeÏof€image€desired.€€A€few€users€include€a€photo€of€themselves€or€even€have€digital€camerasÏon€their€computers€which€continuously€update€with€live€photos,€but€most€include€photosÏof€inanimate€objects€or€celebrities,€and€an€even€greater€proportion€include€icons€orÏnon-photographic€images€of€one€sort€or€another.€€Ìà ` àThis€thesis€will€focus€primarily€on€text-based€forms€of€chatting€because€they€areÏmore€common.€€The€less€widespread€non-text-based€modes€of€chatting€will€beÐ ,`'* Ðde-emphasized€because€they€are€less€common,€are€more€demanding€of€computerÏhardware,€and€usually€they€still€have€many€of€the€characteristics€of€text-based€forms€ofÏInternet€Chatting.Ìà ` àSome€mainframe€computer€terminals€which€are€connected€to€the€Internet€haveÏsupport€for€the€TALK€command.€€This€allows€users€who€are€simultaneously€logged€on€toÏdifferent€computers€to€"TALK"€or€type€text-based€messages€to€one€another€on€a€splitÏscreen€in€real-time.€€This€was€devised€in€the€1970s€as€a€way€for€computer€engineers€toÏcommunicate€with€one€another.€€A€similar€feature€is€found€on€some€VAX/VMSÏmainframe€machines,€the€PHONE€feature.€The€PHONE€feature€allows€up€to€6€usersÏnetworked€to€a€VAX/VMS€machine€to€talk€to€one€another€simultaneously.€€Ìà ` àElectronic€mail€(e-mail)€is€one€form€of€what€I€have€termed€'asynchronous'€InternetÏcommunication.€€By€far,€e-mail€is€undoubtedly€the€most€ubiquitous€form€of€InternetÏCommunication.€€E-mail€consists€of€text-based€electronic€messages€which€are€sent€outÏover€the€Internet,€usually€from€one€individual€to€another,€or€from€one€individual€to€aÏsmall€number€of€other€individuals.€€Sometimes€these€messages€may€have€a€photo,€soundÏclip,€video€clip,€computer€file,€or€computer€program€attached,€but€generally,€these€areÏtext-based€messages.€€Again,€these€are€asynchronous€because€they€have€a€delayedÏreaction€time€and€are€generally€not€considered€to€be€a€form€of€real-time€communication.€ÏE-mail€messages€are€often€exchanged€in€an€effort€to€maintain€social€relationships€withÏothers€but€probably€would€not€result€in€the€formation€of€òònewóó€primary€social€relationsÐ P( #& Ðbecause€the€person€initiating€the€contact€must€know€the€name€or€the€e-mail€address€of€theÏperson€to€whom€they€are€sending€the€message.€€While€e-mail€generally€does€place€anÐ ,`'* Ðemphasis€on€communication€between€individuals€or€small€groups€of€individuals,€it€isÏprobably€not€the€ideal€place€for€the€òòformationóó€of€primary€social€relations€that€characterizeÐ à Ða€community.€€However,€e-mail€can€be€very€useful€to€maintain€or€supplement€such€socialÏrelations.€€E-mail€can€indeed€be€used€to€supplement€the€interaction€which€has€taken€placeÏover€some€other€form€of€CMC€such€as€IRC/mIRC€or€to€supplement€face-to-face€humanÏcontact€or€telephone€contact.€€This€could€perhaps€lead€to€the€development€of€primaryÏsocial€ties.€€However,€this€would€not€be€as€likely€to€occur€as€in€IRC/mIRC.€€Ìà ` àOne€type€of€e-mail€service€is€called€LISTSERVs.€€LISTSERVs€are€basicallyÏelectronic€mailing€lists.€€These€are€usually€organized€around€specific€subjects€or€topics€ofÏinterest.€€Participants€can€compose€a€standard€e-mail€message€and€send€it€to€theÏLISTSERV€which€can€distribute€the€message€to€hundreds€or€thousands€of€participants,Ïeach€of€which€can€respond€either€to€the€initial€sender€or€to€the€group€as€a€whole.€€TheÏmessage€may€go€out€to€someone€who€the€sender€has€never€even€met€or€interacted€with.€ÏThese€LISTSERVs€are€sometimes€referred€to€as€communities€because€they€often€formÏaround€specific€interest€groups.€€This€type€of€CMC€might€allow€for€the€establishment€ofÏcommunal€relations€due€to€its€subject€specific€nature.€€Participants€of€this€type€of€CMCÏshare€a€common€interest€in€the€subject€or€topic€of€the€particular€LISTSERV.€€UnlikeÏIRC/mIRC,€the€main€emphasis€with€LISTSERVs€is€generally€not€on€the€formation€andÏmaintenance€of€social€relationships,€but€on€the€discussion€of€a€specific€subject€or€topic.ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓWhile€the€potential€for€the€formation€of€primary€social€relationships€does€exist€withÏLISTSERVs,€due€to€the€asynchronous€nature€of€€this€type€of€CMC€and€its€one-wayÏnature,€and€due€to€the€lack€of€emphasis€on€social€relationships,€themselves,€it€is€probablyÐ ,`'* Ðless€likely€to€occur€than€on€IRC/mIRC.€€Some€studies€have€examined€how€LISTSERVsÏcan€serve€as€social€support€networks€and€some€have€even€referred€to€them€asÏcommunities€(Furlong,€1989).€However,€empirical€evidence€that€LISTSERVs€represent€aÏcommunity€in€a€sociological€sense€is€mostly€anecdotal.Ìà ` àTable€3.1€lists€many€of€the€types€of€CMC€found€on€the€Internet€and€some€of€theirÏcharacteristics.ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓÌTable€3.1ÌÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?ÓÔ*fƒSddÜdd Ddd V(#(#fÔÔ,Ïtt ÔÔ,Ftt ÔÔ,„tt ÔÔ,ûtt ÔÔ,9tt ÔÔ,îtt ÔÔ,ûtt ÔÔ+  ÔÐ 5€" ° €‘€‚ˆ‚ƒƒ„C„5Ðԇ³\ÂXX´’ÔÓÓType/GenerÐ 8ˆ Ðal€CategoryÐ =€*ì<C „C„=ÐUses€Text-basedÏCommunicationÐ =€*ì<C „C„=ÐAllowsÏReal€TimeÏInteractionÐ =€* ðC „C„=ÐAllows€ObjectÏOrientedÏCommunicationÐ =€* ðC „C„=ÐTopicÏFocusedÐ =€*ì<C „C„=ÐFocusÏonÏGameÏPlayingÐ =€*T¤ C „C„=ÐAllows€high€#€ofÏsimultaneousÏusers€to€interactÐ U€B* ð#C ˆ ‘  €‘€‚ˆ‚ƒƒ„C„UÐIRC/mIRCÐ =€* ð$C „C„=ÐYesÐ =€* ð%C „C„=ÐYesÐ =€* ð&C „C„=ÐNoÐ =€* ð'C „C„=ÐYesÐ =€* ð(C „C„=ÐNoÐ =€* ð)C „C„=ÐYesÐ U€B* ð*C ˆ ‘  €‘€‚ˆ‚ƒƒ„C„UÐMUDs/MO¼Os/MUSHsÐ =€* ð,C „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*ì<-C „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*ì<.C „C„=ÐÓ  ÓSometimesÔ#†X´’X³\“u#Ôԇ³\ÂXX´’ÔÐ =€*ì</C! „C„=ÐSometim¼esÐ =€* ð1C „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*ì<2C „C„=ÐYesÐ U€B*ì<3C ˆ ‘  €‘€‚ˆ‚ƒƒ„C„UÐUSENETÐ =€*ì<4C „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*ì<5C „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*ì<6C „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*ì<7C „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*ì<8C „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*ì<9C „C„=ÐYesÐ U€B*ì<:C ˆ ‘  €‘€‚ˆ‚ƒƒ„C„UÐICQÐ =€*8ˆ;C „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*8ˆ<C „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*8ˆ=C „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*8ˆ>C „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*8ˆ?C „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*8ˆ@C „C„=ÐNoÐ U€B*8ˆAC ˆ ‘  €‘€‚ˆ‚ƒƒ„C„UÐTALKERSÐ =€*„ÔBC „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*„ÔCC „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*„ÔDC „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*„ÔEC „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*„ÔFC „C„=ÐSometi¼mesÐ =€*8ˆHC „C„=ÐNoÐ U€B*„ÔIC ˆ ‘  €‘€‚ˆ‚ƒƒ„C„UÐGOPHERÐ =€*„ÔJC „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*„ÔKC „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*„ÔLC „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*„ÔMC „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*„ÔNC „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*„ÔOC „C„=ÐNoÐ U€B*„ÔPC ˆ ‘  €‘€‚ˆ‚ƒƒ„C„UÐWWWÐ =€*Ð QC „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*Ð RC „C„=ÐSometimesÐ =€*Ð SC „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*Ð TC „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*Ð UC „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*Ð VC „C„=ÐSometimesÐ U€B*Ð WC ˆ ‘  €‘€‚ˆ‚ƒƒ„C„UÐWEBÏCHATTIN¼GÐ =€*„#ÔZC „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*"l[C „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*"l\C „C„=ÐSometimesÐ =€*"l]C „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*"l^C „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*"l_C „C„=ÐYesÐ U€B*"l`C ˆ ‘  €‘€‚ˆ‚ƒƒ„C„UÐE-MAILÐ =€*Ð$ aC „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*Ð$ bC „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*Ð$ cC „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*Ð$ dC „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*Ð$ eC „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*Ð$ fC „C„=ÐNoÐ U€B*Ð$ gC ˆ ‘  €‘€‚ˆ‚ƒƒ„C„UÐLISTSERV¼sÐ =€*Ð& "iC „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*&l!jC „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*&l!kC „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*&l!lC „C„=ÐYesÐ =€*&l!mC „C„=ÐNoÐ =€*&l!nC „C„=ÐNoÔ#†X´’X³\?{#Ôԇ³\ÂXX´’ÔÐ:0.&l!oC ˆ ‘  :Ðà ` àÌÌÓÓà ` àÔ#†X´’X³\(‹#ÔBelow€is€an€explanation€of€the€characteristics€listed€in€Table€3.1€as€they€apply€toÐ ü(L$q Ðthese€various€types€of€CMC.€€The€first€column€of€the€table€simply€indicates€the€type€orÐ Ü*,&s Ðgeneral€category€which€each€form€of€CMC€falls€into.€The€second€column€explains€theÏnature€of€the€type€of€CMC,€whether€or€not€it€is€a€text-based€form€of€CMC€(which€asÏindicated€earlier,€most€forms€of€CMC€are€ultimately€Text-based)€or€whether€it€is€not€aÏtext-based€form€of€CMC.€€The€third€column€of€the€table€indicates€whether€or€not€thatÏparticular€form€of€CMC€occurs€in€"real€time"€or€is€"Live."€€The€fourth€column€indicates€ifÏeach€type€of€CMC€allows€object-oriented€communication.€€The€fifth€column€of€the€tableÏindicates€if€each€form€of€CMC€is€focused€around€a€specific€topic€or€not.€The€sixth€columnÏindicates€if€the€main€focus€of€each€form€of€CMC€is€game€playing€or€not.€The€seventhÏcolumn€of€the€table€indicates€if€each€form€of€CMC€can€support€a€large€number€ofÏsimultaneous€users€to€interact€with€one€another--a€large€number€of€social€actors€at€oneÏtime.Ìà ` àMost€of€the€forms€of€CMC€examined€in€this€chapter€have€been€text-based€formsÏof€CMC.€Most€forms€of€CMC€are€indeed€text-based.ò ò€ó óBecause€IRC,€MUDs,€(MultipleÐ 0€ ÐUser€Dungeons/Dimensions)€and€other€forms€of€CMC€are€reduced€to€text€on€a€computerÏscreen,€differences€in€gender,€age,€race,€and€appearance€of€the€participants€becomeÏunimportant.€€ÌÐ  °"  ÐÑ€ ÀÀ` ÑÑ7€´’XXdðXXdð7ÑÓ?+ ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#ŒX?Óà@ŠŠ(àò òÔ‡ Ñ XX´’ÔChapter€IVˆÐ ° ÐÔ#†X´’X  Ñ0’#Ôà@µµ$àResearch€Objectivesó óˆÐ 0€ Ðà ` àWhile€the€literature€seems€to€suggest€that€there€is€no€precise€definition€ofÏ"community"€in€the€field€of€sociology,€sociologists€in€this€area€have€come€up€with€severalÏconcepts,€or€dimensions,€which€are€typically€used€to€indicate€the€presence€or€lack€ofÏcommunity.€€In€any€examination€of€the€sociology€of€community€literature,€these€conceptsÏor€dimensions€become€evident.Ìà ` àThe€first€of€these€concepts,€as€highlighted€by€Hillery's€(1955)€review,€is€socialÏrelationships€or€social€interaction.€€Hillery€states€that€interaction€is€involved€in€all€94€ofÏthe€definitions€of€community€which€he€examinedò ò€ó ó(1955:119).€€Thus,€community€consistsÐ 0€ Ðof€€people€engaged€in€social€relationships€or€social€interaction.€Therefore,€€it€seemsÏessential€that€a€sociological€definition€of€community€include€this€first€dimension,€or€theÏsocial€dimension€of€community.€€One€point€of€debate€in€the€literature€concerns€the€type€ofÏsocial€relationships€that€represent€"communal"€relationships.€€Following€the€logic€ofÏTnnies,€communal€relationships€have€been€defined€as€primary€ties€based€upon€emotionalÏattachment,€tradition,€and€intimacy€(Gusfield,€1975).€€Other€community€theorists,Ïhowever,€have€utilized€a€less€restrictive€conception,€contending€that€communal€relationsÏcan€involve€merely€the€sharing€of€common€institutions€(Hillery,€1955).€€In€the€case€of€theÏInternet,€membership€in€a€particular€chat€room€could€serve€as€a€commonly€sharedÏâ âinstitution.Ð ð(@$& Ðà ` àThe€second€facet€of€community€which€appears€in€the€literature€is€the€geographicalÏâ âdimension.€Another€point€of€debate€concerns€whether€or€not€communities€are€restricted€inÏtheir€geographic€scale.€€Traditionally,€communities€were€seen€as€systems€of€socialÏrelations€which€existed€in€small,€proximate,€geographic€areas.€€With€the€advent€ofÏadvanced€communications€and€transportation€technology,€however,€some€contend€thatÏcommunities€can€be€extended€€over€wider€and€wider€geographic€areas.€€Proliferation€ofÏthese€new€communication€technologies€led€to€the€idea€of€the€"liberated"€communityÏwhich€de-emphasizes€geographical€proximity€as€a€facet€of€community€(Wellman,€1979).€ÏThis€indicates€that€communities€which€once€were€restricted€to€a€small€geographic€area€areÏno€longer€geographically€limited,€hence€the€term€"liberated"€community.Ìà ` àAnother€facet€of€community€which€becomes€evident€in€an€examination€of€theÏtraditional€sociology€of€community€literature€is€the€notion€of€community€attachment€orÏsentiment.€€This€is€where€people€psychologically€feel€a€"sense€of€belonging"€to€aÏcommunity€group.€This€sense€of€belonging,€or€common€identity,€develops€as€personsÏsocially€define€themselves€as€being€members€of€a€group€with€a€collective€interestÏ(Gusfield,€1975).€€The€concept€of€"community€solidarity"€was€developed€to€refer€to€theÏextent€to€which€group€members€share€this€sense€of€belonging€and€identify€with€theÏcollective€interest€of€the€communal€group.Ìà ` àMost€of€the€research€about€the€Internet€as€a€community€has€examined€at€least€oneÏof€these€three€dimensions€of€€community,€€(Turkle,€1984,€1995).€€A€few€researchers€suchÏas€Baym€(1995),€have€included€two€of€these€three€dimensions€of€community.€€However,Ïno€previous€studies€have€addressed€all€three€of€these€dimensions€of€community.€€MostÐ ,`'* Ðhave€ignored€the€second€of€these€three€dimensions€of€community,€the€geographyÏquestion,€completely.Ìà ` àThe€purpose€of€this€research€is€to€conduct€an€exploratory€study€of€socialÏinteraction€over€the€Internet€in€order€to€assess€how€networks€of€social€interaction,Ïmediated€by€the€Internet,€relate€to€the€three€dimensions€of€community€described€above.€ÏThe€goals€of€this€phase€of€the€analysis€will€be€threefold:€(1)€to€describe€the€ways€andÏextent€to€which€social€relationships€developed€over€the€Internet€represent€communalÏsocial€relationships;€(2)€to€describe€the€geographic€scale€of€the€networks€of€socialÏinteraction€mediated€by€the€Internet;€and€(3)€to€describe€the€extent€to€which€participantsÏin€these€social€interaction€networks€develop€community€sentiment€and€socially€defineÏthemselves€as€being€part€of€a€community€group.€€By€fulfilling€these€goals,€empiricalÏevidence€can€be€provided€as€to€whether€the€Internet€does€indeed,€represent€community€inÏa€sociological€sense.€€This€study€will€examine€these€three€dimensions€of€communityÏ(social€relations,€geographical€proximity,€and€community€attachment)€as€they€relate€to€anÏInternet€chat€room€setting.Ìò òForms€of€Computer€Mediated€Communication€as€a€Medium€for€Communityó óÐ Ð  Ðà ` àAs€discussed€in€chapter€three,€the€two€forms€of€Computer€MediatedÏCommunication€(CMC)€that€most€likely€could€facilitate€the€development€of€a€communityÏare€talkers€and€IRC/mIRC.€Like€the€type€of€interaction€which€takes€place€in€traditionalÏcommunities,€the€interaction€which€takes€place€over€these€two€mediums€of€€CMC€occursÏin€real-time.€Both€of€these€types€of€CMC€seem€to€result€in€the€formation€of€socialÏrelationships.Ð ,`'* Ðà ` àAs€stated€in€Chapter€three,€talkers€typically€have€a€much€smaller€number€of€usersÏthan€other€forms€of€CMC€and€therefore€might€more€easily€facilitate€the€development€ofÏcommunity.€€One€might€argue€that€this€smaller€number€of€participants€allows€for€on-lineÏrelationships€to€more€easily€develop.€€Due€to€the€nature€of€talkers,€it€seems€that€theseÏcould€indeed€facilitate€the€formation€of€intimate€social€relationships€like€those€found€inÏIRC/mIRC.€€The€problem€with€talkers,€however,€is€that€they€are€generally€limited€to€oneÏInternet€site€and€are€not€very€widely€accessible€to€large€numbers€of€users.€The€typicalÏnumber€of€users€on€any€given€talker€is€far€too€small€to€create€a€sample€size€of€anyÏconsequence.Ìà ` àAs€stated€in€chapter€three,€IRC/mIRC€is€perhaps€the€most€widespread€means€ofÏreal-time€Internet€communication,€in€terms€of€the€total€number€of€sites€(called€servers)€onÏwhich€IRC€exists,€and€in€terms€of€the€total€number€of€users.€€It€is€for€this€reason€thatÏIRC/mIRC€is€the€form€of€CMC€that€will€be€examined€in€this€study.€€If€one€form€of€CMCÏmust€be€chosen€to€represent€real-time€communication€over€the€Internet,€IRC/mIRC€isÏperhaps€the€best€choice€because€IRC/mIRC€is€so€widespread€and€has€such€a€large€numberÏof€users.€Ìà ` àMany€IRC/mIRC€chat€rooms,€(called€channels)€are€organized€around€a€specificÏtopic€and€are€often€politically€charged.€€A€chat€room/channel€of€a€non-political€nature€ofÏgeneral€interest,€òò#friends׃×Ý ƒ ÿÿÝòòÚ  Ú9Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×óó,€will€be€chosen€for€this€study.€The€sole€purpose€of€thisÐ p&À!$ Ðparticular€IRC/mIRC€Channel€is€"Making€Friends€Around€The€World."€€This€channel€hasÐ P( #& Ðas€its€sole€goal€the€formation€of€social€relationships,€and€€is€therefore€the€most€appropriateÏchoice€to€examine€the€formation€of€the€kinds€of€social€relationships€which€mightÏcharacterize€community.€€The€sole€purpose€of€this€channel€is€to€facilitate€the€formation€ofÏsocial€relationships,€and€this€may€allow€for€community€sentiment€to€develop€among€thoseÏpersons€who€use€it.€€Ìò òFormation€of€Communal€Social€Relations€Over€the€Internet:€Research€Issuesó óÐ `  Ðà ` àPrevious€research€on€the€Internet€as€a€community€has€failed€to€examine€whetherÏsocial€relations€established€over€the€Internet€represent€communal€social€relations.€€NoneÏof€the€research€has€examined€the€formation€of€primary€social€ties€or€strong€social€ties,€asÏconceptualized€by€Granovetter€(1973),€over€the€Internet.Ìà ` àSurratt€(1996)€only€examined€community€in€the€context€of€the€first€of€these€threeÏdimensions€of€community,€the€idea€of€social€relationships€or€social€interaction.€SurrattÏ(1996:1)€equates€the€notion€of€social€relationships€or€social€interaction€with€what€she€hasÏtermed€"real€community."€Surratt€(1996),€€found€that€subjects€demonstrated€standards€ofÏacceptable/unacceptable€behavior;€they€derived€meaning€in€specific€situations;€they€heldÏmembers€accountable€for€their€actions;€and,€they€were€serious€about€their€interactionsÏ(563-564).€€This€was€utilized€as€evidence€by€Surratt€that€the€Internet€was€a€community.€ÏThe€establishment€of€specific€norms€and€values€alone€should€not€be€considered€sufficientÏevidence€for€the€existence€of€community,€however.€€While€the€formation€of€norms€andÏvalues€suggests€the€development€of€a€"collective€will"€€for€governing€social€relationshipsÏ(as€conceived€by€Tnnies)€over€the€Internet,€it€does€not€provide€evidence€of€communalÏrelationships.€€Business€relationships,€for€example,€are€not€normally€consideredÐ ,`'* Ð"communal"€relationships€€in€a€sociological€sense,€yet€these€relationships€are€governed€byÏtheir€own€set€of€norms€and€values.Ìà ` àNo€previous€research€has€been€conducted€that€attempts€to€situate€the€socialÏrelationships€developed€by€an€individual€over€the€Internet€with€the€social€relationshipsÏdeveloped€by€the€Individual€on€a€face-to-face€basis.€€Heavy€Internet€users€have€beenÏportrayed€as€potential€social€isolates€that€spend€most€of€their€time€interacting€with€othersÏthrough€the€virtual€world€of€the€Internet.€€Here€they€may€make€up€new€personalities€orÏroles€that€they€may€not€have€in€the€context€of€physical,€face-to-face€interactions€withÏothers€(Allen,€1996;€€Dalaimo,€1995;€Turkle,€1984,€1995;€Young,€1998).€Ìà ` àThis€raises€a€number€of€interesting€questions.€€For€example,€"Do€frequent€InternetÏusers€participate€in€both€virtual€and€traditional€communities?"׃×Ý ƒ ÿÿÝòòÚ  Ú10Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€Or,€"Are€frequentÐ pÀ ÐInternet€users€social€isolates€who€are€only€able€to€participate€in€a€community€through€theÏopportunities€available€over€the€Internet?"€€Finally,€"In€what€ways€does€participation€in€aÏvirtual€community€complement,€or€augment€participation€in€a€traditional€community?"€ÏThis€research€will€provide€empirical€evidence€to€address€these€questions.Ìò òGeographic€Scale€of€Communities€Developed€Over€the€Internet:€Research€Issuesó óÐ Ð