The Quality of Online and Offline Relationships: The Role of Multiplexity and Duration of Social Relationships

Recent studies have shown that adolescents use the Internet not only to maintain social relationships with distant relatives and friends but also to create new relationships online; some of these friendships become integrated into their social circle. Research has focused mainly on the effect of the Internet on existing relationships or the nature of online-only ties, so studies comparing the quality of online and face-to-face relationships are missing. The goal of this study is to bridge this gap. In keeping with previous studies on social association, we argue that the quality of social relationships is dependent on duration and diversity of topics and activities carried together. Time is important, as it facilitates the development of a collective shared history and identity. Intimacy develops through the participation in shared activities and discussion of diverse issues of personal concern. Using a representative sample of the adolescent population in Israel, we find that closeness to a friend is a function of social similarity, content and activity multiplexity, and duration of the relationships. Friendships originated in the Internet are perceived as less close and supportive because they are relatively new and online friends are involved in less joint activities and less topics of discussion. The implications of the findings are discussed.     

Grieving for a Lost Network: Collective Action in a Wired Suburb

Critics have argued that information and communication technologies (ICTs) disconnect people from their social networks and reduce public participation. Research in support of this perspective has been biased by two assumptions. The first is a tendency to privilege the Internet as a social system removed from the other ways people communicate. The second is a tendency to favor broadly supportive strong social ties. Survey and ethnographic observations from Netville, a 2-year community networking experiment, suggest that weak, not strong ties experience growth as a result of ICTs. By examining a unique and underexplored stage in the life cycle of a community networking project, the end of a networking trial, this article demonstrates how ICTs facilitate community participation and collective action (a) by creating large, dense networks of relatively weak social ties and (b) through the use of ICTs as an organizing tool.     

Real friends: how the Internet can foster friendship

Dean Cocking and Steve Matthews’ article “Unreal Friends” (Ethics and Information Technology, 2000) argues that the formation of purely mediated friendships via the Internet is impossible. I critique their argument and contend that mediated contexts, including the Internet, can actually promote exceptionally strong friendships according to the very conceptual criteria utilized by Cocking and Matthews. I first argue that offline relationships can be constrictive and insincere, distorting important indicators and dynamics in the formation of close friends. The distance of mediated friendships mitigates this problem by promoting the courage to be candid. Next, I argue that the offline world of largely oral exchanges is often too shallow and hasty to promote deep bonds. The deliberateness of written correspondence acts as a weight to submerge friendships to greater depths and as a brake to enhance attentiveness to and precision about one’s own and one’s friend’s character. Nonetheless, close friendships may fail to develop on the Internet. Insofar as this failure occurs, however, it would be for reasons other than those identified by Cocking and Matthews.     

Weak Ties in Networked Communities

Communities with high levels of social capital are likely to have a higher quality of life than communities with low social capital. This is due to the greater ability of such communities to organize and mobilize effectively for collective action because they have high levels of social trust, dense social networks, and well-established norms of mutuality (the major features of social capital). Communities with “bridging” social capital (weak ties across groups) as well as “bonding” social capital (strong ties within groups) are the most effective in organizing for collective action. People who belong to multiple groups act as bridging ties. When people with bridging ties use communication media, such as the Internet, they enhance their capability to educate community members and to organize, as needed, for collective action. This article summarizes evidence from stratified household survey data in Blacksburg, VA, showing that people with weak (bridging) ties across groups have higher levels of community involvement, civic interest, and collective efficacy than people without bridging ties among groups. Moreover, heavy Internet users with bridging ties have higher social engagement, use the Internet for social purposes, and have been attending more local meetings and events since going online than heavy Internet users with no bridging ties. These findings may suggest that the Internet—in the hands of bridging individuals-is a tool for enhancing social relations and information exchange, and for increasing face-to-face interaction, all of which help to build both bonding and bridging social capital in communities.     

Instant Messaging on Campus: Use and Integration in University Students' Everyday Communication

This article reviews the body of research on the use and role of instant messaging (IM) in campus life, and how IM is a key part of university students' communication. IM is a synchronous form of communication, and its speed, availability information, and support for multiple conversations have made it appealing for young people. With university students, in particular, showing a heavy reliance on IM, researchers have shown great interest in how university students use IM and how it is integrated in their social and academic life. While studies are emerging in various disciplines, no attempt has been made to integrate the disparate findings and approaches. This article synthesizes key findings, provides a map of the literature, and discusses conceptual problems inherent in the study of IM and other information and communication technologies (ICTs) that will help researchers identify key areas of study and opportunities for future investigation.     

Instant Messaging on Campus: Use and Integration in University Students' Everyday Communication

This article reviews the body of research on the use and role of instant messaging (IM) in campus life, and how IM is a key part of university students' communication. IM is a synchronous form of communication, and its speed, availability information, and support for multiple conversations have made it appealing for young people. With university students, in particular, showing a heavy reliance on IM, researchers have shown great interest in how university students use IM and how it is integrated in their social and academic life. While studies are emerging in various disciplines, no attempt has been made to integrate the disparate findings and approaches. This article synthesizes key findings, provides a map of the literature, and discusses conceptual problems inherent in the study of IM and other information and communication technologies (ICTs) that will help researchers identify key areas of study and opportunities for future investigation.     

社会网络中影子连带的研究综述

通过梳理文献发现,现有社会网络研究更多关注的是现实的关系连带,而对影子连带这种虚的关系没有关注。因此,提出了只有虚实结合,虚中有实,实中有虚,虚实互换,才能系统揭示社会网络关系的内在机制及其动态演变规律。     

工科本科生计算方法课程教学心得

计算方法是工科本科生公共基础课之一,作者通过分析该课程的课程内容与课程特色,结合自身教学实践与经验,指出本课程目前面临的几个问题,并分析各个问题存在的原因与亟待解决的必要性。基于存在的问题,作者有针对性地提出了相应的解决办法,切实提高教师授课与学生学习的质量与效率。     

线上线下(O2O)混合教学模式研究——以犯罪学课程为例

目前的线上线下(O2O)教学还处于探索阶段,面临一定的问题,如专业教师掌握现代教育技术水平的差异较大、对线上线下(O2O)教学模式不了解等问题,对犯罪学线上线下(O2O)教学改革问题的研究,能在一定程度上有效解决目前我们面临的问题,促使我校的教学跟上现代社会信息化的潮流,搭建信息化教学管理平台,完善我校线上线下(O2O)教学模式,具有重要的现实意义。     

网络关系强度与产业集群竞争优势关系的实证研究

从社会网络特征即网络关系强度入手,构建结构方程模型研究其对产业集群竞争优势的影响关系。实证研究表明,网络关系强度对产业集群竞争优势有显著的正向影响;网络关系强度通过技术创新对产业集群竞争优势产生的影响大于不通过中介变量产生的直接影响;网络关系强度是影响产业集群竞争优势的四个因素中最为重要的因素。因此,网络结构下的产业集群若能通过提高互惠性,扩大合作交流范围和增加接触的机会来加强网络关系强度,将能更好地提升其整体的竞争优势。     

线上线下混合教学模式应用于西方经济学(微观)教学改革思路及实践

西方经济学(微观)是高校培养经管类人才的必修课。将线上线下混合教学模式应用于西方经济学(微观)课程教学,对于提高教学成效、培养合格的经济学人才具有重要意义。文章阐释了混合教学模式的内涵和发展现状,提出了西方经济学(微观)课程教学应用线上线下混合教学模式的必要性,探讨了混合教学模式运用于西方经济学(微观)课程教学的思路,从课堂内外互动环节设计、资源建设安排、考评机制创新三方面提出了在教学实践中的具体应用。     

关系强度、社会资本对知识获取绩效影响研究--基于社会结构与行动模型

关系强度与社会资本均影响知识获取绩效,已有研究尚未探明两者间联系机理及其对知识获取绩效的影响。本文基于社会结构与行动模型,将社会资本细分为集体与个体两层面;信任、规范与网络异质资源三构件,构建“关系强度—社会资本—知识获取绩效”理论模型,结合233家企业问卷调查与结构方程模型进行实证检验。结果表明：强关联显著提升知识获取绩效;集体社会资本即信任与规范起部分中介作用,个体社会资本即网络异质资源则无中介作用;强关联正向影响网络异质资源,网络异质资源负向影响知识获取绩效但并不显著。明确了关系强度、社会资本对知识获取绩效的影响机理、路径与效果,为企业知识管理提供了关系组建和资本动用的策略参考。     

线上线下混合式教学模式在高职英语教学中的应用研究

随着我国教学改革的推进,线上线下混合式教学模式备受关注,在时代的更迭中被赋予更多新的内涵,其不仅体现了学生的主体地位,还将传统课堂与网络课堂的优势结合在一起,改善了现阶段高职英语教学耗时高、效率低的现状,为高职英语教学改革提供了新的思路。然而,现阶段我国针对英语线上线下混合式教学模式的研究还比较少。该文主要立足于传统高职英语教学中存在的问题,分析线上线下混合式教学模式的优势,探究如何在高职英语课堂教学中有效应用线上线下混合式教学模式。     

说课结合线上线下混合式教学在实验诊断学教学中的探讨

对教学模式进行有效创新是实验诊断学教学改革的关键。该文回顾和分析了近30年来作者所在教研室在教学改革中积累的经验和存在的问题,针对“后疫情时代”提出利用同行和师生两种说课方式,将混合式教学在线上线下的优势真正结合起来并持续优化的策略。     

商业关联和政治关联对科技型中小企业成长的影响—环境动态性的调节效应

以开放式创新理论与资源依赖观等为基础探讨商业关联和政治关联对科技型中小企业成长的影响机制,以及环境动态性的调节效应。通过对我国282份科技型中小企业的有效调查问卷数据进行分析,结果显示,商业关联显著正向影响科技型中小企业成长,而政治关联对科技型中小企业成长产生倒U型影响。进一步地,商业关联与政治关联的交互作用负向影响科技型中小企业成长。环境动态性负向调节商业关联对科技型中小企业成长的正向影响,即环境动态性越高,商业关联对科技型中小企业成长的促进作用越弱。