Assignment #8: Coding Social Support Online

Kristie Lee (Yellow blog) and Minji Song (Brown blog)

For this analysis, we decided to take a look at not only our overall results as compared to Braithwaite’s social support categories, but also compare the statistics of two different kinds of support groups. We examined a thread from a support group to stop smoking (alt.support.stop-smoking in Google groups) and two threads from a support group for those who have arthritis (alt.support.arthritis). The former group an example of pro-active lifestyle change, the latter an example of debilitating lifestyle change. The following are links to each of the threads:

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.support.stop-smoking/browse_thread/
thread/2dc2c7cca1c09f71/82629203c95420aa#82629203c95420aa

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.support.arthritis/browse_thread/
thread/e836d19e7d8bac13/74c0647c2082a7d9?lnk=raot#74c0647c2082a7d9

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.support.arthritis/browse_thread/
thread/e4e580a018e196e2/075586b2c045ce80?lnk=raot#075586b2c045ce80

Braithwaite’s study on social support communication yielded the establishment of a coding system based on Cutrona and Suhr’s five-category system (information support, tangible assistance, esteem support, network support, and emotional support). We used this coding system to analyze 20 messages posted on our chosen support groups (11 from the smoking group, 9 from the arthritis group). The following chart tables our overall results:













note: Braithwaite's results: .313, .027, .186, .071, .4

Our results were significantly different than those of Braithwaite's experiment. However, subsequent to further analysis, we discovered data that was helpful in speculating the causes of these differences. The following charts map the smoking and arthritis support threads separately:





There are three statistically significant differences between the data of the two support groups; the following elaborates our speculations as to the causes of these differences:

• Information
• Because the process of quitting smoking is “self-inflicted” and arduous, many of the group members (who are veteran quitters) feel more inclined to provide the advice-seeker with information/advice and tools to help them along their journey.
• Esteem
• Since arthritis is a condition that just happens (i.e. it’s not something you would actively pursue, and generally not in your control), advice seekers might feel the need to feel more validation from their peers that receiving this condition is in no way their fault.
• Network
• There is highly significant difference in this aspect. We speculate that it is because quitting smoking requires much more peer involvement and group support. Pressure from more people to quit will result in feelings of not wanting to let those people down.

Further speculation on an interesting factor of comparison concerns the type of support group thread that was coded. Braithwaite's experiment centered on disability social support groups. Smoking, though a concern of human health, is a factor explicitly controlled by the individual. However, arthritis and similarly disabilities, are factors that are generally out of the individual's control. This may explain the more significant frequency of esteem (validation and relief of blame) in the arthritis support groups and the disability support groups analyzed in Braithwaite's experiment.

The four dimensions of attraction to online social support that are elaborated in Walther and Boyd (2003), social distance, anonymity, interaction management and access, evidently play a role in the effectiveness and attractiveness of the online support groups that were analyzed. The very open access to support online was indicated by advice-givers numerous times, and openly admitted to the helpfulness of it in coping with these issues. Interaction management also played a significant role. Advice-seekers and advice givers would elaborate or clarify if what he/she said was not clear on their initial post, or thank advice-givers for their support by posting multiple times on a thread in different times. This indicates advice-seekers' and givers' desire to manage their impression on other people in the support group.