An ethnographic study of an online, mutual-aid health community: group dynamics, roles, and relationships

Authors:
Diane Maloney-Krichmar
Affiliations:
University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD
Venue:
CHI '02 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Year:
2002

Citing 2
Cited 1

Online Communities: Designing Usability and Supporting Socialbilty

Online Communities: Designing Usability and Supporting Socialbilty
Doing Internet Research: Critical Issues and Methods for Examining the Net

Doing Internet Research: Critical Issues and Methods for Examining the Net

A multilevel analysis of sociability, usability, and community dynamics in an online health community

ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI)

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Abstract

The research project will examine a fairly well studied, long established, and thriving online health bulletin board through a multi level, in-depth analysis. Ethnographic research methods will be used in combination with social network analysis and an examination of issues related to usability. The purpose of the research is to document the role the online community plays in the lives of its members; define the patterns of interaction within the group; compare group dynamics in the online community to those in face to face mutual aid groups, and examine the impact of usability issues on group process.