Associate Professor Jack Rosenberry at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY conducted a survey of 538 participants in message forums at the 80 local newspapers. Even though this study found the positive relationship between forum participation and better perception on community, such participation in online forums was not related to getting out and taking part in real-world community activities.
These findings indicate that online newspapers' forum can have "a mobilizing influence' but also imply that participants' engagements were more reflected by their existing social relationships and community involvement than the online community.
For more details, please go to here in which you can also download a PDF file of this research article.
Do you think that online information or communication behavior can lead to other acts on offline activities?
In a way online information can affect a community, but it isnt always in the best way. An example of what we see online like when you see an ad of homeless puppies or kittens right away we want to do something but don't end up acting upon it so it doesnt help anything or anyone.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand there are those people when they see things like this they react right then in there by donating or going to their local pound trying to see what they can do to help. Most of us see things online and cannot do anything about it or we believe we cant do anything about it so we just leave it for someone else to do and it never gets done. Their are those people that react upon their feelings, but usually there are very few of those people. So think are you one of those people?
--Andrew Archuleta
It's an interesting question. I find that there are a number of online organizations that produce content in the hopes of creating change in the real world, and for me at least, that it is influential. I will often agree to sign online letters of protest against governments that are carrying out human rights abuses, and sometimes will send letters via snail mail for the same purpose. However, I don't know how active I would be in that regard were it not for the internet...life can be so hectic that it makes it difficult to be a global citizen, and those causes lose out to my interests locally. I may believe wholeheartedly in the online causes, but volunteering at my kids' school takes precedence over doing more concrete activities for those organizations in my daily life. I think local media organizations are more effective in that regard since they can give you a clear cut goal i.e. the location to drop off food at a local food drive, and the impact of contributing is more easily witnessed than their somewhat ethereal online counterparts.
ReplyDeleteIn a world where everyone is going online to get a lot of their information I think online forums are going to be the new "water cooler" talks. I also believe that if you can get people "talking" you can make a change. However, I think it can have a negative reaction as well were people talk about action and then don't do it because there is no one to hold them accountable. If someone isn't watching why should I follow through, sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteI feel that online activities could lead to off line activities. A lot of people including myself use the internet as an introduction to many things or as a research tool looking for info on topics, products, and news. Online media has lead me to get involved in offline activities.
ReplyDeleteBy Alan Bodily
absolutely because of the quicker acces to information anything is possible especially when talking about online communication as a stepping leading to offline activities
ReplyDeletekeith mcgowen
It is possible to lead offline activities but I think this is not effective way.Some people in modern world have luck of communication and they don't prefer to communicate with people in outside. If such a people meet with others,I am not sure they can have a good experience. The anonymous is one of the reason to become online community popular. If people meet one person whom they think good in Internat world and they feel negative image in real world, people can't believe real world. I think people who should not meet with others as long as they really be a good friend. And, society should make more oppotunities to more directly communicate with others not depend on Internet.
ReplyDeleteBy Fumiya Hashizume
I believe that online communications and activities can lead to greater participation in offline communities. Through becoming involved over the Internet, yet still in the comfort of one's own home, it raises one's confidence and interest in things going on around one's communities. When someone is feeling confident and informed on the happenings of the world they will be more likely to go out and attempt to get involved and make a difference.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely believe that online communications and real world activities go hand in hand at times. For example, I have never really been into politics until I became an online news junkie and now I am involved in local political campaigns, etc. I think information can motivate people in a way that nothing else can, and the internet is certainly full of information, not all good information, but information. :)
ReplyDelete