A conceptual framework for demographic groups resistant to online community interaction

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2001

Abstract

Demographic groups normally do not constitute communities. However, they have the potential for becoming online communities when individuals share common interests, needs and goals for problem solving and support and when they can easily find and communicate with each other and establish relationships. People in these demographic groups may be highly resistant to interacting online despite their regular use of the Internet for information gathering and email. The causes for this resistance, suggestions for mitigating it and approaches for bringing such demographic groups into online community environments and sustaining their online interaction are presented in this paper which describes a study of a demographic group of mid-life career changers. Suggested improvements in online community sociability and usability are recommended for these demographic groups to successfully interact online. In particular, the sociability and usability requirements of these demographic groups should direct the selection and implementation of technology.

Identifier

0034970790 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Proceedings of the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2001.927044

ISSN

10603425

First Page

163

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