Communicatively Integrated Model of Online Community: A Conceptual Framework and Empirical Validation on a Case of a Health-Related Online Community

Abstract

This paper proposes that sustaining quality of communication is vital for the reproduction of online communities in terms of social integration, reliable knowledge accumulation, and empowered group identity. By building on Habermas’ concept of communicative action and Friedland’s model of a communicatively integrated community, this paper provides an alternative perspective on one of the key questions in online community research—How is online community possible? It is asserted that online communication, which is reciprocal, justified, sincere, emphatic, and reflexive, essentially constitutes social glue and plays a key role in sustaining online communities. Hypotheses are derived from the theoretical framework mentioned above, suggesting that quality of online communication in an online community is associated with supportive ties, the credibility of the exchanged information in the online community, the sense of belonging to the online community and individual empowerment. The hypotheses are tested on a sample of users from the biggest online health community in Slovenia (n=742). The data were collected via a web survey in June 2013 and January 2014. With the use of a linear structural equation modeling approach, insight is given into the proposed hypotheses and some theoretical and practical considerations are offered.