An online community is a targeted space on the internet that is dedicated to the interest, desires, and needs of specific users. The difference is that the participants in an on line community are more connected by the area of interest. Baym offers “five qualities found in online groups and many definintions of community that make the term responate for online contexts. Thes include sense of space, shared practice, shared resources and support, shared identities, and interpersonal relationships.”(Baym, 2009)
The key differences of members of a random group and communitites is the depth and connection of the users. Groups tend to be on the surface may be a part of You Tube but not a follower of specific videos that are further assessed and shared to a certain number of people within the community. Communities are a network of users that are usually of the same ethnicity, geographical location, and interests. Participation in a group is more voluntary versus a community it is expected you will contribute.
People get involved with online communites to feel connected to others who have the same opinion, beliefs, and interests. They seek sharing of useful information and usually end up in more intamate realationships. I have never been involved in an online community. I have a Facebook, but I do not participate in groups within Facebook. Another reason individuals seek a community is for support. Some examples in the text revolved around health issues. Which leads me to the fit into the rest of our social lives. Online communities are a “higer level” of social networking, it entails more details and a sense of commitment to the community that you will bring information, support, and connections to the table.
Do you think online communities develop hetergenous connections? Or do they merely grow homogenous networks of like-minded people? The Norris study found a little of both. But it certainly seems like people are more apt to seek out groups that share their beliefs rather than working with diverse groups.
I think that online communities grow homogenous networks of like-minded people. Usually a person will join a community because of a preset interest or idea so they aren’t seeking new information but trying to connect with others alike.
I think to be a part of an online community you must have interest in certain thing so you can feel at home and communicate better,so you can reach to the sense of commetment as you explained. I also think that you pointed out a good point about the depth of online community when compared with the random group. This was a tuff question for me that took me a while to figure out the difference, but you had excellent point that I didn’t thought about.
To piggy back off of what this comment entails, I also agree that being a part of an online communtiy does give a person a sense of belongingness and it gives them the opportunity to communicate better. I think you pointed out good positions of online communities compared to random groups which is sometimes worse to be a part of when there is no mutualism. Good post.
Online communities seem to define as a deep connection between people outside of the online community itself. It would be interesting to examine how quickly a group becomes a community or if it even becomes one at all.
I like Adam’s comment very much. I also wonder at what point an online group transitions into being an online community. All online communities must start off as groups, at some point, right? So at what point does the shift to a community start to set in? Its definitely an interesting question to ponder.
That is an interesting question. I would assume that all groups have to grow into communities. As people interact and create bonds, they move beyond the original intent for the group into a stronger communal sphere. It is definitely at the whim of the members. I am certain there are community forums that are more loosely aggregated, where there is little interpersonal support. I wouldn’t classify these sites as communities, but demote them to message boards or forums.