scholarly journals Language Style Matching as a Predictor of Perceived Social Support in Computer-Mediated Interaction Among Individuals Coping With Illness

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 694-712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Rains
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Online Support Groups ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Language Style ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Reported Study ◽  
Coping With Illness ◽  
Language Style Matching

Several forms of computer-mediated communication (e.g., online support groups, blogs, social network sites) have been shown to be important resources for social support among individuals coping with illness. The reported study attempts to better understand social support processes in these settings by examining the implications of language style matching—a form of interpersonal coordination involving the degree to which speakers match one another’s use of function words (e.g., articles, prepositions, pronouns). Language style matching among a sample of health bloggers and their readers over a 3-month period was tested as a predictor of bloggers’ perceptions of support available from their readers. The results show that language style matching contributed to bloggers’ perceptions that their readers are willing and able to serve as a resource for specific forms of social support.

scholarly journals Catch 22: The Paradox of Social Media Affordances and Stigmatized Online Support Groups

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 205630512098447
Author(s):  
Daphna Yeshua-Katz ◽  
Ylva Hård af Segerstad
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Discussion Board ◽  
Online Support Groups ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
The Public ◽  
Computer Mediated

This study highlights the challenges of computer-mediated communication for vulnerable individuals and groups, by studying boundary work in stigmatized communities online. Five stigmatized online communities with different affordances were studied: (1) “pro-ana” blogs; (2) an infertility discussion board; (3) a Facebook group for bereaved parents; and (4) two WhatsApp groups for Israeli veterans of war with post-traumatic stress disorder. In-depth interviews with members and administrators ( n = 66) revealed that social media affordances such as low anonymity and high visibility may marginalize those living with stigma. While research literature applauds social media for allowing the formation and maintenance of social capital, our study highlights the paradox caused by these very same affordances. To offer safe and functioning environments of support, the communities must guard against impostors whose presence threatens their safe havens. Simultaneously, this may make these groups inaccessible to those who truly need support and remove such groups from the public eye.

scholarly journals The simplicity and emotionality of the language of patients in an online cochlear implant support group

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 121-138
Author(s):  
Magda Żelazowska-Sobczyk ◽  
Magdalena Zabielska
Keyword(s):  
Support Groups ◽  
Support Group ◽  
English Language ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Online Support ◽  
Online Support Groups ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Online Support Group ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Computer Mediated

In the last couple of years online support groups have become one of the most important sources of information and support for people suffering from particular conditions. The goal of the present paper is to examine the language used by the participants of an online support group for people with cochlear implants. The study consists of a qualitative analysis of computer-mediated communication on the basis of the posts and comments made by patients, their families and relatives. The results show that the language used by the participants is characterised by simplicity, emotionality and subjectivity. These features allow one to classify the language as non-specialist, even though some of the forum authors have a long disease history as well as a broad knowledge concerning their condition. This paper is a continuation of the study on English language support groups for people with hearing impairment (Zabielska, Żelazowska-Sobczyk 2019).

Online social support groups

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Tanis
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
The Body ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Online Social Support ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Computer Mediated

To give and receive social support is an important aspect of social interaction, and since the Internet has become more and more integrated with everyday life, it is no surprise that much social support is exchanged online. Features of computer-mediated communication (CMC) offer possibilities for social support in a manner that would be less easy or even impossible in a face-to-face context. This article focuses on three key elements that are often mentioned when social consequences of CMC are discussed: the possibility to communicate relatively anonymously, the text-based character, and the opportunities it provides for expanding social networks without being hindered by time and space barriers. It addresses how these may affect support seeking, and argues that interacting in online social support groups holds great potential for people who seek support, but may also contain some potential hazards. However, even though the body of research is growing, we still know fairly little about how online social-support groups affect the well-being of people who are in need of support.

What You Say and Where You Say It Matter: Effects of Facebook Message Publicity and Support Type on Evaluation of Support Message Quality

2021 ◽  
pp. 089443932110073
Author(s):  
Yining Malloch ◽  
Bo Feng
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Communication Channel ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Communication Model ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Message Type ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Tangible Support ◽  
The Impact

Guided by the masspersonal communication model, this study examined the impact of the communication channel (masspersonal vs. interpersonal) and support message type on evaluation of social support message quality in Facebook settings. An online factorial experiment with 480 participants revealed that support messages sent through interpersonal channels (e.g., private messaging) were perceived as higher in quality than those sent through masspersonal channels (e.g., status update). Regardless of channels, participants considered tangible support messages as higher quality than informational and emotional support messages. Implications for computer-mediated communication and social support theories and practices were discussed.

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