[Air-L] Participation inequality - querying the crowd

[Sam Ladner]

Hi Bernie,

I have wondered the exact same thing. There is a lot out there that is
quantitative, some of it good, some of it bad. Pew's research gives well
researched clues; Forrester Research provides outright clap-trap, but clues
nonetheless.

I believe this primarily to be a qualitative question. I think what you're
getting at is the notion not just of "participation" (although that's part
of it), but of "broadcasting" one's identity. What are the motivations that
go into this kind of mediated extroversion? Under what circumstance are
people less or more comfortable in doing so? In other words, what gives some
people the feeling of being "loud" while others being "quiet"? Well I
suppose age and gender play a role. I suppose also social groups play a
role.

I have use the following source before to understand how young people, at
least, come to engage with "broadcasting" their identities online:

McMillan, S. and Morrison, M. 2006. "Coming of Age On the Internet: A
Qualitative Exploration of How The Internet Has Become An Integral Part of
Young People's Lives." New Media and Society. Vol 8. 1.

best,
-s.


-- 
~~~~~
Sam Ladner, PhD
Sociologist
Toronto