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Group Dynamics in
Virtual Communities
Fay Sudweeks
Key Centre of Design
Computing and Cognition
University of Sydney
[email protected]
www.arch.usyd.edu.au/~fay
Overview
•
•
•
•
•
Aims of the research
Research questions
Groups
Methodology
Discourse analysis
– Dimensions
– Communication categories
• Findings
Aims of the Research
• to explore a research perspective that gives equal attention to
both computer mediation and human processes
• to analyse the content of communication and participants’
perspectives within an computer-mediated group to
understand more about communication management and
developmental patterns in virtual communities
• to evaluate the usefulness of the developed methodology for
acquiring a deeper knowledge of communities generally and
collaborative groups specifically in a networked environment
• to suggest research questions for further studies
Research Questions
Organisational Issues
• What are the developmental processes of a computermediated group (CMG)?
• What factors contribute to the effective development of a
CMG?
• As a group develops, does it become more cooperative
and cohesive, and is there a sense of group
consciousness?
Research Questions
Communication Issues
• What are the key communication processes in a CMG?
• What are the factors that contribute to effective
communication?
• Do changes in communication patterns and
communication management occur during the
development of a CMG? If yes, how do these changes
occur? Are the changes facilitated by management
strategies?
Research Questions
Cultural Issues
• In an environment where dramaturgical cues that signal
power and sociocultural distance are weak, do
communication patterns vary amongst people from
different cultural backgrounds?
• Does the group as a system become more homogeneous,
i.e. less culturally diverse and more consistent in linguistic
registers?
• Does a networked environment facilitate the development
of “cybersocialism”?
Significance of the Research
• A methodology that combines qualitative and quantitative
analyses in an integrated approach.
• A case study of a collaborating group which emerged from
a broader environment and created its own shared aims
and purposes in a networked environment.
Groups
Definition
“A collection of individuals who perceive themselves to be
members of the same social category, share some
emotional involvement in this common definition of
themselves, and achieve some degree of social consensus
about the evaluation of their group and of their
membership in it.”
(Tajfel and Turner, 1986)
Groups
Definition
“A collection of individuals who are conscious of
belonging to a group, and are conscious that there are
individuals who do not belong to the group.”
• Response to concerns about the reality of a group.
• Group norms - mutually acceptable definitions of
behaviours - do not develop unless a concept of groupness
or group consciousness is perceived.
Methodology
The quantitative/qualitative choice
Quantitative
Purpose of the enquiry Explain observed
phenomena
Qualitative
Understand the meaning
of observed phenomena
Role of the researcher Objective role
Participatory role
Acquisition of Construct knowledge
knowledge
Presentation of Figures, graphs, tables
research
Discover knowledge
Data fragments, quotes
Methodology
CEDA Framework
Domain
identification
Scope of the
research
Data collection
and selection of
the data sets
Combined
explorative data
analysis
Linking
qualitative and
quantitative
results
Interpretation
and
presentation
Methodology
CEDA Framework
Domain
identification
Scope of the
research
• Domain
Examine sources (e.g. literature,
transcripts) to define research
question
• Scope
Select case(s) by theoretical, not
random sampling
Methodology
CEDA Framework
Data collection
and selection of
the data sets
• Data collection
• Specify rigorous data
collection protocol
• Select flexible and
opportunistic data collection
methods
• Array events chronologically
Methodology
CEDA Framework
Combined
explorative data
analysis
Code to define:
• Concepts: labels placed on
discrete events
• Categories: Classification of
concepts
• Properties: Attributes or
characteristics pertaining to a
category
Methodology
CEDA Framework
Linking
qualitative and
quantitative
results
Domain
identification
• Link results
• Compare emergent theory
with sources
• Compare with similar and
conflicting frameworks
• This improves internal
validity and generalisability
and establishes the domain
Methodology
CEDA Framework
Interpretation
and
presentation
• Interpret
•
•
•
No interpretation
– present focused excerpts of data so that informants
“speak for themselves”
– reduces researcher’s biases and intrusion
Descriptive interpretation
– reduce and order data
– selection and interpretation
Theoretical interpretation (grounded theory)
– conceptualise data
– present framework for further research
– integrate knowledge
Methodology
Quantitative analyses
Phenomenon
Formalisation
v2
v1
v3
v4
v7
v8
v6
v5
vk
v9
v1
v8
v3
v5
v6
v9
v2
x1
x2
x3
x4
x5
x6
xm
X1,…,N
vk
v4
v7
y1
y2
yp
Y1,…,N
Analysis
X
Y
R
Methodology
Qualitative analyses
Phenomenon
s1
Formalisation
s2
s3
s4
s7
s8
s6
s5
sk
s9
s1
s8
s3
s5
c1
s6
s9
s2
c2
sk
s4
s7
cn
Analysis
c1
c2
...
cn
C
Participant observation
1
Discourse analysis
2
Content analysis
3
Online survey
4
Semi-structured interviews
Integration of data sets
5
6
Regularities in interaction and
models of communication in
virtual communities
Mass computer-mediated
communication
Methodology
Case Study
Participants
NUMBER
COUNTRIES
INSTITUTIONS
AGES
BACKGROUND
~100
19—Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, GB,
Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Mexico,
Netherlands, NZ, Poland, Singapore, Sweden,
Switzerland, USA
86—universities and commercial firms
early 20s to late 60s
40% social sciences, 35% humanities, 25% applied
sciences
Case study
Frequency distribution of collaborative activity (N=1016), publicly archived on
a CIOS (Communication Institute for Online Scholarship) hotline
250
215
184
150
101
100
93
74
6
8
2
5
7
Mar-94
16
Feb-94
8
25
15
Jan-94
5
37
Dec-93
18
Dec-92
11 10
47
42
40
Nov-93
47
Nov-92
50
Time (b y mon th)
Oct-93
Sep-93
Aug-93
Jul-93
Jun-93
May-93
Apr-93
Mar-93
Feb-93
Jan-93
Oct-92
Sep-92
Aug-92
Jul-92
Jun-92
0
May-92
Number (of messages)
Mes sages (by #)
200
Discourse Analysis
• Dimensions
– Preliminary review of the corpora identified five salient dimensions.
• Turning points
– Turning points are defined as a point in the discussions at which changes
occur in the presence of a combination of dimensions, and thus
delineates the beginning and end of a phase in group development.
• Phases
– Six major phases identified.
• Communication categories
– Management styles and communication content in each stage identified.
Discourse Analysis
Dimensions
• Issues: topics to be discussed and resolved
• Leadership: inclination to conform or reject leadership and
authority
• Debate: argumentativeness, criticism, aggression
• Relationships: expressions or avoidance of friendship or
intimacy
• Action: goal-directed or task-directed activity
Discourse Analysis
ISSUES
LEADERSHIP
DEBATE
RELATIONSHIPS
ACTION
PHASE 6
PHASE 5
PHASE 4
PHASE 3
PHASE 2
DIMENSIONS IDENTIFIED
PHASE 1
Dimensions
Discourse Analysis
Communication categories
Communication
Management
Formal
Informal
Communication
Content
Conceptual
Action
Socioemotional
Discourse Analysis
Communication Categories
Management: Formal
connected with the enforcement of rules and managing the
process and production of knowledge and information
generation.
Example
“We submit the following copyright policy, worded by
the Copyright Committee, for consideration and
ratification by the entire group...”
Discourse Analysis
Communication Categories
Management: Informal
collective informal creation, management, and enforcement of
communication norms
Example
“We seem to be getting semi-serious about this. Maybe
one tentative and fairly easy way to proceed is to
appoint Barry and Ruby the “leaders” (not because
they talk the most, but because this is already their
research interest and they have some experience in
it).”
Discourse Analysis
Communication Categories
Content: Socioemotional
deals with the interpersonal relationships among
communicators
Example
“First ... I waded in here over the weekend, got into
a barroom fight or two (there IS a certain amount of
Dodge Citydom in the current situation), left, and
was persuaded by Frank that I was not dealing with a
crew of ogres, unemployed CIA operatives, and
voyeurs...”
Discourse Analysis
Communication Categories
Content: Conceptual
involves the shared creation of mutual understandings and meanings
among communicators
Example
“I think this study sounds like lots of fun, and
would like very much to participate. Will you let me
in? ... I propose trying to look at nature of threads
in the discussions (protracted, multi-contributors,
cyclical, substantive or meta-communication, etc.). I
think we can come up with a fairly reliable set of
measures and codebook for some of these.”
Discourse Analysis
Communication Categories
Content: Action
deals with the explicit work to be accomplished by participants
in a communication process
Example
“In the following message, I humbly submit a codebook
proposal... we should look the codebook over, react to
it if necessary, and commence pretesting the codebook in
a week or so...Next up for discussion, once the codebook
is ratified, is sampling procedure for the project.”
Discourse Analysis
COMMUNICATION
MANAGEMENT
INFORMAL
FORMAL
SOCIO-EMOTIONAL
COMMUNICATION
CONTENT
CONCEPTUAL
ACTION
PHASE 6
PHASE 5
PHASE 4
PHASE 3
PHASE 2
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
FEATURING IN GROUP
DEVELOPMENTAL PHASES
PHASE 1
Communication Patterns
phase 1
forming
norming
phase 2
low
performing
phase 3
storming
ROBBINS
phase 4
phase 5
high
performing
phase 6
adjourning
Summary
Virtual Groups ...
• take longer to develop norms and social relationships, and
plan and assign tasks
• after these initial phases, networked groups resemble faceto-face groups in development
• in later phases, the effectiveness of networked groups
increases hierarchical flattening can enhance networked
groups providing the process is managed carefully
• both task and socio-emotional needs can be satisfied