A Literature Review of Virtual Communities

Understanding user participation in online communities: A systematic literature review of empirical studies

“…Studying social influence and group processes usually requires longitudinal research approach and observation, and methodological constraints may partly explain the lack of research. The reviewed studies have mostly adopted a descriptive approach to online participation; despite introducing a rich level of detail, descriptive studies often lack in explanations of online behavior and descriptions of the impact of the social context (Hercheui, 2010).…”

“…According to Hercheui (2010), research on online communities has so far been descriptive rather than theory-driven and significant emphasis has been placed on the novelty of the phenomenon. There is still a lack of consistency in the field, as a wide range of community types varying in terms of structure, purpose and user base have been compared under the heading online community (Gallagher & Savage, 2013).…”

The Social Network Gamer’s Experience of Play

“…We suggest, rather, the term ''affinity space'', as a space where participants feel, or not, a sense of belonging and decide whether and how to strengthen social bonds, share objectives, and so on. A forum typically consists of subgroups that form digital communities in themselves-as interpreted in the literature by several authors (Putnam, 2000;Hampton & Wellman, 2002;Willson, 2010;Hercheui, 2011)-although not all participants experience these in the same way.…”

A Dual-Identity Model of Responses to Deviance in Online Groups: Integrating Social Identity Theory and Expectancy Violations Theory

“…Researchers use the terms “online communities” and “online groups” somewhat interchangeably, with little discussion as to the differences (if any) between the two. In a thorough review of virtual (i.e., online) communities, Hercheui () concludes that a community must have boundaries to differentiate itself from other communities, as well as a common interest , rules , and voluntary membership . Howard () conceptualizes online groups as “three or more people who perceive a membership in some common social identity and whose dominant form of interaction is through computer‐mediated communication (CMC)” (p. 123).…”