Social Identity In Online Communities

It can be argued that the establishment if the internet and social networking sites somewhat negates the necessity of geographic proximity. Most scholars agree that online communities exist despite this missing aspect. Social bonds and support between members are just as present. Members are often involved in a common cause. More often than that the group is connected by a common interest like TV shows, movies, music or books. These online communities are also referred to as taste communities. Most interactions happen online over social media but can also bleed into the physical world. (cf. Dijck 46). People participate in and join online communities because of perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness (cf. Davis 320). Put another way,

Such a community is the first step in developing collective identity. There are several different definitions of collective identity in literature. According to Ashmore, “collective identity is one that is shared with a group of others who have (or believe to have) some characteristics in common” (Ashmore 81). Social identity is sometimes used synonymously to collective identity but the term collective identity as a term is preferable because all identity is social in some way since identity is always constructed and negotiated through interaction with others (cf. Ashmore 81). Different aspects of identity can't be considered as being completely separate from each other. Personal identity is defined as characteristics that one believes to be unique to self and is often constructed through differences with others instead of similarities. Collective identity is “in constant interplay with personal identities” (Poletta, Jasper

Ashmore 84). At any given time a person has various different categories to choose from. The choice usually depends on different goals and motives that can very well be unconscious. For collective identity to be established, the subject has to personally acknowledge the category as self defining in some respect (cf. Ashmore 81). Groups where members display strong collective identity often cultivate own jargon, symbols and narratives that enhance a sense of solidarity between the members (cf. Poletta, Jasper 285). Collective identity is not an unanimous experience, but in most cases, collective identity carries a positive association with its subjects. This can affect the way they act. Members of movements and groups that have developed a collective identity defend the aims and ideology of these groups especially if the collective identity has shaped their personal identity in a significant way. Individual actions often are reflective of the group (cf. Ashmore 82). Ashmore has established a list of characteristics with which one can determine how strong a given collective identity is. These characteristics are explicit and implicit importance, attachment, social embeddedness, affective commitment and behavioural involvement. Explicit importance refers to the individual subjective assessment of the importance of a person's various collective identities while implicit importance is “the placement from high to low of a certain