The language of online leadership: Gender and youth engagement on the Internet.

Abstract

This study examines the JUNIOR SUMMIT online community, which consisted of 3,062 adolescents representing 139 countries, varying SES, and a range of experience with computers. The online forum culminated in the election of 100 delegates. By analyzing the messages posted before results of the election were announced, we explore whether language use predicts who was elected as a leader, as well as gender differences in leadership style. Results indicate that the young online leaders do not adhere to adult leadership styles of contributing many ideas, sticking to task, and using powerful language. On the contrary, while the young people elected as delegates do contribute more, their linguistic style is likely to keep the goals and needs of the group as central--by referring to the group rather than to themselves, and by synthesizing the posts of others rather than solely contributing their own ideas. Furthermore, both boy and girl leaders follow this pattern of interpersonal language use. These results reassure us that young people can be civically engaged and community minded, while indicating that these concepts themselves may change through contact with the next generation.

Youth civic and political participation through the lens of gender: The Italian case

“…Rainie, Horrigan and Cornfield (2005) found that the Internet has begun to serve as an information resource and as a tool for civic engagement and political participation among young Americans, being used in particular to gather political information. Cassell et al (2006) suggested that the online world may pull apart gender and traditional leadership, allowing more girls into leading positions and more similarities between boys and girls, reducing many gender stereotypes.…”

Online distributed leadership: a content analysis of interaction and teacher reflections on computer-supported learning

“…The different studies do seem to agree that it is not only the quantity of communication that predicts the appearance of leader but rather the content and quality of the communication (Balthazard et al, 2009;Cassell, Huffaker, Tversky, & Ferriman, 2006;Sarker, Grewal, & Sarker, 2002), such that: work today in the world is dominated by computer-mediated communication, and this communication is common in virtual teams. However, the mere transmission of information from point A to point B is not sufficient.…”

“…Finally, Cassell, Huffaker, Tversky, and Ferriman (2006) analyze leadership from a perspective of age and confirm through the analysis of messages sent and their use of language that they can predict the choice of the leader. Gender differences also predict leadership style.…”

Reflexões Sobre a Tecnologia E Adolescentes: Mitos E Verdades

“…Tal comportamento faz com impulsione o desenvolvimento da juventude no que se refere a comunicação, liderança, socialização, informação e aprender em escala internacional. Os adolescentes usam a Internet como fonte de informações de saúde com o intuito de obter as informações necessárias no âmbito sexual e problemas de saúde, que eles provavelmente não têm acesso no local onde vivem (CASSELL et al, 2006). Nos últimos anos, em uma pesquisa recente mostraram que os estudos das ramificações da internet aumentaram muito.…”