Premium
Two selves and online forums in C hina
Author(s) -
Ye Wei Ming,
Sarrica Mauro,
Fortunati Leopoldina
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
asian journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.5
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1467-839X
pISSN - 1367-2223
DOI - 10.1111/ajsp.12034
Subject(s) - ambivalence , social psychology , psychology , construal level theory , sociology , internet privacy , computer science
C hinese society is characterized by emerging fragmentation and by the coexistence of traditional and W estern values, goals and norms. In this multifaceted environment bi‐cultural selves, which encompass social and individual orientations, may emerge. The aim of this paper is to explore if features of bi‐cultural selves concerning interactions, emotions, and values are reflected in online public discussions in C hina. In order to address this question, we explored two of the most popular bulletin board systems ( BBSs ): T ian Y a and F eng H uang F orums. BBSs attract almost one third of I nternet users in C hina and provide these users with a forum to carry out public dialogue; BBSs are thus an ideal place to study how the self is socially shaped in public communication. A sample of 6109 messages was subjected to quantitative content analysis. Results show that twofold self‐construal, corresponding to the individual‐ and social‐oriented self, are (also) detected in BBSs forum content: direct and polemic content coexist with conciliatory content; ego‐focused and other‐focused emotions are almost equally as frequent as one another; and traditional values are evoked together with the quest for truth and individual rights. Moreover, three typologies of I nternet users (proactive, ambivalent, and follower), which were identified on the basis of the quality of their online interactions, show different patterns of emotions and values. We may thus conclude that alternative ways of constructing self‐other and self‐society relationships currently coexist in C hina and that these alternative views confront each other on BBS forums.