Studies on 1.1b

Question 1

Virtual communities: Cybercity, CARTER (2005)

Answer 1

1. Carried out participant observation, questionnaires and offline semi-structured interviews
2. Another place for people with similar interests to meet
3. Found out people who meet a person online will often continue these friendships offline by meeting in person
4. Cyberspace becoming increasingly embedded in everyday lives

Question 2

Virtual communities: Second life, BOELLSHOFF (2008)

Answer 2

1. Conducted research as avatar Tom Bukowski
2. Shows how virtual worlds can chnage ideas about identity and society
3. Can have ‘rape add on’ - questions the moral regulation of online forms of communication and laws and policies are a long way from being able to regulate and punish deviant behaviour

Question 3

Networked society, CASTELLS (2000)

Answer 3

1. Moving from industrial age to age defined by information - change occurred due to evolution of new information technologies, particularly those for communication
2. Communication technology allows decentralisation of control, increasing the effectiveness of networks and hierarchical structures.
3. Power now rests in networks
4. People at the bottom of the network are excluded - they have nothing to offer and are usually poorly educated so have little chance of social mobility

Question 4

BOYLE (2005)

Answer 4

1. Explains how process of digitalisation allows media convergence
2. New digital media are often highly interactive meaning that people can shape new forms of convergent media in individualistic ways