The Mediated Community of the Blog
Blogging offers people an informal and indirect forum in which to vent, inform, question or just laugh at themselves, which more direct one-on-one or group interactions may not make available. Often, people will not open up in direct, face-to-face interactions, whereas online they have an opportunity to express themselves while protected from the fear of censure by the medium of the blog. Anyone with a psychology degree can attest that this mediation of social interaction is a critical facet of blogging from the psychological perspective and essential not only to understanding why bloggers blog, but also how to blog better.
One post on Stanford University’s Cross-Cultural Blog suggests blogging is essentially “the process of me,” in which the blog serves as an autobiography and a map of ongoing personal development. Over time, posts record (or may even actively constitute) the author’s growth, usually in a combination of occasional leaps and bounds and through the documentation of quotidian minutiae. This recording makes the process of identity development concretely available to the author, as well as to the public. Meanwhile, the author is more or less shielded , which allows for anonymity, but more importantly helps mediate the process.
In addition to enabling exploration of identity through posting, blogging incorporates a forum for feedback while again offering the author a degree of protection. The blog author can vent emotion, express uncertainty or just describe and reflect on their experiences, and explicitly or implicitly invite comments from readers. In readers’ feedback the author may receive support, criticism and even insult, but is shielded from the impact of these comments by the medium through which they are received. Authors can even choose to moderate feedback, controlling which comments are actually published and dismissing them as they see fit.
This protected identity development enables bloggers to experience a mediated community in which they can feel they belong. As Psychology Today blogger Jenny Schmitt observes, there’s a difference between fitting in and belonging in a group or community. For blog authors, establishing and expressing an identity that may not fit in with their offline environment is often a major (though sometimes underlying or unstated) objective. The longer an author stays at it, and the more the blog is a success, the more the community of followers creates that sense of belonging for the author.
Indeed, those readers want to be part of that community themselves. When blogger Lorelle asked “what makes a blog successful?” many readers answered along the lines of “>Learning to view a blog as a mediated community working to establish and define its identity enables bloggers to better understand the underlying psychological motivations driving their posting, as well as those leading their readers to follow and contribute to the blog. With these psychological insights in mind, bloggers can focus on developing their community identity more deliberately, thereby making the blog more clearly appealing to potential readers. In the process, they may also stand an even better chance of learning about themselves.
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It took me reading your article twice to get your point. Its a little deep but the message is high interesting. Mediation can really help the owner focus the message that he wants to get across. It can however, make the readers feel limited by this technique, making them hesitant to take the time to create their comments for fear that it will be devalued & trashed.
Claire recently posted..HP Pavilion dv6-3124tx Reviews- Specs & Sale Price
This post is too academic, this certainly not sale to the internet user that has a limited time to read but oly skim through post…but anyway a good post…
Iroko recently posted..Blogger Android App
That’s quite interesting, actually I have a friend blogger which is commenting on every comment on his blog and his audience is growing, I think this is a good strategy.
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Really interesting post! I read one more times and get some new information.
Lakshmi Muralikrishnan recently posted..GotoMeeting Promo Code
To make a blog successful isn’t difficult but requires a lot of time. I read article few times to understand exactly what it is about.
I’m not one that blogs for personal reasons or expression. I blog as a way to establish credibility and industry respect. That goes a long way for clients.
As you proof here blogs and blogging is near to forums discussions by which people communicate and just laugh at themselves. In my opinion forums discussion is different than blogs.
latest world recently posted..An Intelligent Crow
Forums have different discussions sharing pattern rather than in blogs or blogging. But no matter blogs are also a great source for people, to connect globally to each other and share their experiences…….!
Attorney recently posted..Brain Injury Lawyer
While a blog without a reader or audience can be a cathartic exercise in self-expression, it can be like a person who has no meaningful friendships or relationships; it does nothing. As you point out, blogging is a community exercise, one in which both the author and the audience can interact and mutually benefit.
I don’t think it’s fair to say it does nothing. Keep in mind that blog is short for web blog – or record. The original aim was to create an online equivalent to the journal and diary. Those were never subject to audiences or reader interaction.
Pete recently posted..US Dollar Falls On Risk Trading
The longer an author stays at it, and the more the blog is a success, the more the community of followers creates that sense of belonging for the author.
As you point out, blogging is a community exercise, one in which both the author and the audience can interact and mutually benefit.
the readers feel limited by this technique, making them hesitant to take the time to create their comments for fear that it will be devalued & trashed.
It can however, make the readers feel limited by this technique, making them hesitant to take the time to create their comments for fear that it will be devalued & trashed.
With these psychological insights in mind, bloggers can focus on developing their community identity more deliberately, thereby making the blog more clearly appealing to potential readers.
Mediation can really help the owner focus the message that he wants to get across. It can however, make the readers feel limited by this technique, making them hesitant to take the time to create their comments for fear that it will be devalued & trashed.
For about eight years I was keeping such a blog. It was an online diary and “message in a bottle” for anyone to respond to. Now, however, I feel such a blog in todays blogging world is a vanity that has lost its place. People come to blogs to find information, or learn how to do something, not to read one person’s “Ode to Myself,” I guess you could call it.
Delena
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Twitter: swamykant
says:
Very interesting post. Thanks for sharing your pyschological insights.
Swamykant recently posted..How the Internet Enables Intimacy Video
I tend to agree with Delena. Blogging seems an increasingly monetised pastime in which the aim is to provide useful information to readers and make money. The conception of the blog as an online diary is a little antiquated. Not to mention narcissistic. That said – I enjoyed reading a lot!
Pete recently posted..US Dollar Falls On Risk Trading
Forums is a great way to generate inbound traffic to your blog. Replying to comments or posting your own comments with your URL is a good way to get readers on your page.