This paper introduces a relational model for understanding online communities, challenging the conventional view of these groups merely as information repositories. It emphasizes the importance of social interactions, bidirectional communication, and dynamic relationships that form between individuals and the community over time. Through analyzing the interactions of 28,869 newcomers across 98 Usenet groups over a 22-month period, the study finds that the social nature of responses and the welcoming language used by the community significantly impact newcomers' continued participation. Additionally, newcomers who signal their connection to the group through self-introductions or by replying to messages are more likely to be embraced by the community. These results underscore the value of adopting a relational perspective in researching and managing online communities and other social information systems.
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Kraut, Robert, et al. "Beyond information: Developing the relationship between the individual and the group in online communities." Information Systems Research 10 (2010).
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