Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
379676 Electronic Commerce Research and Applications 2015 9 Pages PDF
Abstract

•This study examined drivers of interdependence and network convergence in social networks in virtual communities.•This study used weak/strong tie theory for developing hypotheses.•Needs for affiliation, altruism, and social intelligence are related to interdependence and network convergence.•Some of the interactions are related to interdependence and network convergence.

Social networks proliferate in virtual communities, where interdependence and network convergence among users are key to their development. However, as little is known about the drivers of interdependence and network convergence, this study examines whether individual differences could be one such driver. An online questionnaire was used to collect data and responses from 3086 online gamers, and hierarchical regressions were used for the testing of hypotheses. This study found that the need for affiliation, altruism, and social intelligence are positively related to interdependence and network convergence. Moreover, the need for affiliation interacts with altruism to predict interdependence, and interacts with social intelligence to predict network convergence. This study is the first using the weak/strong tie theory to identify drivers of interdependence and network convergence among users of virtual communities.

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Computer Science Artificial Intelligence
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