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‘Nearer to being characters in a book’: how older people make sense of online communities and social networking sites

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posted on 2023-06-08, 19:36 authored by Dave Harley, Kate HowlandKate Howland, Eric Harris, Cara Redlich
This study looked at the relationship between local and online forms of community engagement for a small group of older people in the South of England. Interviews and a focus group were used to establish their understandings of online community and social networking sites (SNS) within the context of existing relationships in local communities. Past experiences of local community influenced expectations for online community and its authenticity. At the same time four catalysts were identified which motivated engagement with community resources both online and locally. These were: ‘spaces and places’, family, roles and loss. A sense of ‘real’ community was maintained through meeting people face to face with online communities and SNS being used predominantly as tools for achieving this aim. Exploration of the catalysts offers ways that greater community involvement might be further facilitated through design initiatives that make online community feel more ‘real’ to older users.

Funding

Older People's Engagement with Online and Offline Communities; G1154; EPSRC-ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL; RE4500735742

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Page range

2023-2031

Presentation Type

  • paper

Event name

48th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

Event location

Kauai, Hawaii

Event type

conference

Department affiliated with

  • Informatics Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2015-01-19

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2015-01-19

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