User population and user contributions to virtual publics: a systems model
GROUP '99 Proceedings of the international ACM SIGGROUP conference on Supporting group work
An empirical investigation of boundaries to virtual public discourse structure
CHI '00 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Empirical evidence for information overload in mass interaction
CHI '01 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Invisible participants: how cultural capital relates to lurking behavior
Proceedings of the 15th international conference on World Wide Web
ECSCW'03 Proceedings of the eighth conference on European Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work
Fight club: culture, conflict and everyday life amongst an online 'community'
International Journal of Web Based Communities
Innovation: web 2.0, online-communities and mobile social networking
WSEAS Transactions on Computers
Innovation: mobile social networking and web 2.0 online-communities
MMACTEE'09 Proceedings of the 11th WSEAS international conference on Mathematical methods and computational techniques in electrical engineering
DPPI '11 Proceedings of the 2011 Conference on Designing Pleasurable Products and Interfaces
Social Ties in Video Sharing Services: Tactics for Excavating Virtual Settlements
International Journal of Virtual Communities and Social Networking
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Like archaeological Tells, large mounds resulting from the accumulation of human settlement debris, the remains of virtual communities can inform researchers about phenomena operating at many levels. However, for excavations to be effective they need to be conducted within the framework of a scientific research program.The theory of interactive communication in cyber places developed here distinguishes between the social relationships that emerge from interactive group computer-mediated communication, and the cyber places where such communication occurs. It also links the density and form of cyber material to communication technology types. In so doing, it identifies four distinct levels of analysis. These are: i) individual behavior or social theory; ii) spatial and temporal patterning of artifacts in cyberspace; iii) technology and the parameters of human interaction; and iv) cyber-ecology or online behavior and resource supply. The recognition of four distinct levels of analysis allows for the production of a hierarchy of social explanation for cybersociety.To date the majority of research into online behavior has focused on the level of social theory. However, a balanced understanding of all levels of the hierarchy is preferable. The theory outlined is also linked to a research program into the material aspects of computer-mediated communication. Research into this under represented level should inform e-commerce strategists as well as those interested in usability as a group level concept.