What is the impact of virtual communities on social interaction?
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The Impact of Virtual Communities on Social Interaction
Virtual Communities and Cultural Memory
Virtual communities on social media play a significant role in shaping and reproducing cultural memory, neighborhood identity, and culture. These communities enable individuals to actively produce and share content, thereby ensuring the continuity of neighborhood identity and culture that might otherwise erode in the physical environment. However, their impact on face-to-face relations and institutions remains limited.
Intentional Social Action and Participation
Participation in virtual communities is often driven by intentional social actions, influenced by both individual determinants (such as positive anticipated emotions and desires) and community influences (like social identity). The concept of "we-intentions" explains that members' intentions to participate are shaped by these factors, highlighting the importance of social identity in fostering community engagement.
Group Norms and Social Identity
Group norms and social identity are crucial determinants of participation in virtual communities. These factors motivate individuals to engage with the community, and their impact varies depending on the type of virtual community, whether network-based or small-group-based. This distinction affects the reasons for participation and the strength of group norms and social identity.
Reciprocity and Commitment
Reciprocity is a key element in virtual communities, driving commitment and behavioral intentions such as online co-shopping. Interactivity, both structural and experiential, significantly influences reciprocity, which in turn enhances community commitment and participation.
Social Structures and Dynamics
Virtual communities reflect the changing architecture of social interaction due to information and communications technology. These communities create novel social structures and dynamics, impacting social, political, and economic interactions. They provide a platform for transactions and interactions that shape the social momentum of communities.
Professional Networking and Knowledge Sharing
In the healthcare sector, virtual communities facilitate professional networking and knowledge sharing among healthcare professionals. These communities enable the dissemination of specialty-specific clinical information, fostering a culture of collectivism, reciprocity, and respect. This knowledge sharing helps professionals make more informed practice decisions.
Social Capital and Civic Engagement
Virtual communities have the potential to increase social capital and civic engagement, especially when they develop around physically based communities and foster additional communities of interest. These communities can enhance networks, norms, and trust, contributing to greater community participation and engagement.
Sense of Belonging and User Participation
A sense of belonging in virtual communities is cultivated through familiarity with other members, perceived similarity, and trust. These factors, related to the dimensions of social capital, positively influence members' intentions to participate by sharing experiences and knowledge.
Knowledge Sharing Motivations
Knowledge sharing in virtual communities is influenced by social capital factors such as social interaction ties, trust, reciprocity, identification, shared vision, and shared language. Additionally, outcome expectations, both community-related and personal, motivate individuals to share knowledge, enhancing the overall knowledge base of the community.
Cultural Identity and Virtual Networking
The acceptance of new friendships in virtual communities can influence cultural identity by diminishing the bond with the local community. The absorption of others' cultural values through virtual interactions can impact local cultural values, highlighting the complex relationship between virtual networking and cultural identity.
Conclusion
Virtual communities significantly impact social interaction by shaping cultural memory, fostering intentional social actions, and enhancing professional networking and knowledge sharing. They also influence social capital, civic engagement, and cultural identity. While these communities offer numerous benefits, their impact on face-to-face interactions and local institutions remains limited, necessitating further research to fully understand their long-term implications.
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