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IR 9.0, Copenhagen

In-line or out of Control?

A General Research Framework to Analyze Network-Based Discussion Groups

Maren Lübcke

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Background

Why do some Internet based discussions prevail and others fail? What makes this discussion go on?

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Characteristics of Discussion Groups

Independent of traditional ties Dynamic Communication Processes on large scale Including self-destructive tendencies Which factors make online discourse continue, which

cause its interruption? Is an inherent structure detectable, that enforces its

maintenance? Do possibilities exist to influence those factors?

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Objectives and Challenges

Methodological Framework • To detect factors of influence and dynamical processes• To combine different levels of analysis presented in the

research literature• Theory based

Theoretical requirements• Communication as the theoretical key concept • Communication as a dynamic. changing process

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Theoretical Starting Point (1)

Niklas Luhmanns‘ System Theory Grand theory with communication as

central concept Communication is the basic operation of

every social system Persons as communicative constructs,

operating as addresses of the communicative flow

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Theoretical Starting Point (2)

Communication consists of single communicative events

A communicative event is passing, disappearing immediately

It has to be connected to another communication event to surpass time, otherwise the autopoietic chain of the communication will end

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Theoretical Starting Point (3)

Ongoing communication is enabled if a surplus of communication possibilities exists

with regard to three dimensions• Subject (e.g. topics)• Social (difference between ego and alter)• Temporal (duration)

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Suitability for On-line Research

No assumptions about anonymous users are needed

The reply structure of postings can be treated like a manifest connection between two communicative events

Theoretical concepts are available for phenomena of different aggregation levels (interaction system, organisations, functional subsystems)

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Theoretical Starting Point (2)

Rafaelis‘ concept of Interactivity: communication’s ability to foster reaction

Interactivity as a mechanism to influence communications dynamic by enabling social cohesion for permanent participation

“a likely candidate to help in explaining how groups, especially cmc groups, stick together”

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Research Matrix revised

Message Topic Person Thread

structural

personal

temporal

3 dimensions of communicative meaning

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Research Matrix revised

Message Topic Person Thread

structural

personal

temporal

semantical

Formally stated, interactivity is an expression of the extent that in a given series of communication exchanges, any third (or later) transmission (or message) is related to the degree to which previous exchanges referred to even earlier transmissions“ (Rafaeli 1988, 111)

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Research Matrix revised

Message Topic Person Thread

structural

personal

temporal

semantical

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Research Matrix revised

Message

structural

personal

temporal

semantical

Is there a threshold of number of messages ?

Does authorship influence message answering?

How does messages develop in time?

What kind of messages get more responses? E.g critical messages

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Literature Review

Literature analysis with Web of Science: Most studies focus on just one cell – lack of

analyse of online discourses under multiple aspects

Temporal analysis is the weakest approach, most do a content analysis (semantic level)

Threads are the weakest level of analysis, most of the articles focus on persons and posts

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Hypothesis about communicative progress in online discussions

Online discourses are marked by High proportion of non-answered messages Shorter messages are more likely answered than longer Citations are mainly used to express refusal Conflicts are avoided in many cases Unequal distribution of participants activity Moderator messages are answered more often and initiate

longer threads Stable core of regular posters (closing processes) Temporal sensitiveness. Rapid decline of connection

intensity, of interest in topics ...

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Conclusion

„Don‘t Panic“