• Cultivating Connections in 140 Characters: A Case Study of Twitter Relationship Building

    Author(s):
    JESSICA D. BERTAPELLE DEBORAH BALLARD-REISCH
    Editor(s):
    Jyotirmaya Patnaik (see profile)
    Date:
    2015
    Group(s):
    Communication Studies, Cultural Studies, Digital Humanists, Electronic Literature, Information Ecosystems
    Subject(s):
    Social media, Digital media, Public relations, Journalism, Communication, Communities
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    Twitter, personal relationships, Community
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/b305-xm45
    Abstract:
    Social media use is ubiquitous in the United States. Not surprisingly, an academic debate has emerged about whether or not computer-mediated communication facilitates or hurts interpersonal relationships. This exploratory case study adds to the conversation by assessing how Twitter users in the Wichita, Kansas community view the impact of Twitter on their social lives, specifically, communication and relationships. Using a grounded theory approach and inductive thematic analysis, this paper analyzed data from a two- phase study involving key informant interviews (N=15) and six focus groups (N = 32). Three themes emerged: Twitter and professional relationships; Twitter and personal relationships, and Twitter and community. Analysis indicated that Twitter is a robust tool used to build and maintain interpersonal and community relationships that range from shallow and impersonal to deep and meaningful, depending on the desires of users, all in 140 characters or less.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Published as:
    Journal article     Show details
    Pub. DOI:
    10.15655/mw/2015/v6i3/77888
    Publisher:
    Media Watch
    Pub. Date:
    2015-9-23
    Journal:
    Media Watch
    Volume:
    6
    Issue:
    3
    Page Range:
    273 - 285
    ISSN:
    2249-8818,0976-0911
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    2 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved
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