Finding similar others online : social support in online communities of people with a stigmatized identity
department or school: Arts and Social Sciences, Irving K. Barber Faculty of (Okanagan)
department or school: Psychology, Department of (Okanagan)
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCO
creator: Godard, Rebecca Joy Puji
issued: 2021-04-13T15:34:05Z
issued: 2021
related degree: Master of Arts - MA
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Online groups can connect people with similar identities, interests, or experiences. People with stigmatized or minority identities may be particularly likely to participate in and benefit from online groups, as they may not have access to support from similar others in their offline lives. This study investigated online group use among multiracial people, who constitute a growing yet understudied population. In a sample of 461 members of two Facebook groups for multiracial people, it examined variables that influence the extent to which users experience belonging within the group and perceive the group as available to provide social support. Results indicated that members who perceived others in the group as more similar to themselves experienced greater belonging and perceived the group as better able to provide support. Users who viewed their multiracial identity as highly important also experienced better social support outcomes. Stigma consciousness, the extent to which someone expects to be stereotyped based on their multiracial identity, was associated with a lower sense of belonging. Finally, active participation (i.e., engaging directly with other members) and self-disclosure partially mediated the relationship between perceived similarity and support outcomes, suggesting that they may act as mechanisms by which users benefit from connections to similar others. This study indicates that online groups can play a positive role in users’ social lives through their ability to promote connections to similar others. Findings contribute to the literature on online group use by identifying specific contexts, types of engagement, and user characteristics that can promote positive outcomes during social media and online group use. This study also has implications for research on stigma and discrimination, indicating that interactions with similar others in online spaces can benefit people with stigmatized identities.
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/77749
note: FINDING SIMILAR OTHERS ONLINE: SOCIAL SUPPORT IN ONLINE COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE WITH A STIGMATIZED IDENTITY by Rebecca Joy Puji Godard B.A. (Hons), Rice University, 2019 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Psychology) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Okanagan) April 2021 © Rebecca Joy Puji Godard, 2021 ii The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the College of Graduate Studies for acceptance, a thesis/dissertation entitled: FINDING SIMILAR OTHERS ONLINE: SOCIAL SUPPORT IN ONLINE COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE WITH A STIGMATIZED IDENTITY submitted by Rebecca Joy Puji Godard in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts . Dr. Susan Holtzman, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Social Sciences Supervisor Dr. Cynthia Mathieson, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Social Sciences Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Paul Davies, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Social Sciences Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Shirley Chau, Faculty of Health and Social Development University Examiner iii Abstract Online groups can connect people with similar identities, interests, or experiences. People with stigmatized or minority identities may be particularly likely to participate in and benefit from online groups, as they may not have access to support from similar others in their offline lives. This study investigated online group use among multiracial people, who constitute a growing yet understudied population. In a sample of 461 members of two Facebook groups for multiracial people, it examined variables that influence the extent to which users experience belonging within the group and perceive the group as available to provide social support. Results indicated that members who perceived others in the group as more similar to themselves experienced greater belonging and perceived the group as better able to provide support. Users who vie…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2021-05
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0396674
language: eng
degree discipline: Psychology
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/77749