FOSTERING SENSE OF COMMUNITY IN SELF-GOVERNED VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES IN TIMES OF DISASTER

Authors

Mahmudul Hasan, The University of Auckland Business SchoolFollow
Cecil Eng Huang Chua, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Michael Myers, The University of Auckland Business School

Paper Type

RIP

Paper Number

271

Abstract

Disasters create uncertainty. Many disaster incidents have been documented where virtual communities reduce victims’ disaster-related uncertainty by providing hyperlocal information. Hyperlocal information is different than mere information found on the internet because it originates from locals. However, getting locals to participate to share hyperlocal information in virtual communities remains a challenge. One way of encouraging locals to share hyperlocal information is fostering a Sense of Community (SoC), i.e., the feeling of belonging and being attached to a community. While substantial research has established the beneficial effects of SoC in physical communities, little is known of how SoC might encourage locals to share hyperlocal information in virtual communities in disaster situations. This research-in-progress paper proposes to answer this question by adopting SoC as an interpretive lens in a qualitative case analysis of a Reddit disaster community.

Recommended Citation

Hasan, Mahmudul; Chua, Cecil Eng Huang; and Myers, Michael, "FOSTERING SENSE OF COMMUNITY IN SELF-GOVERNED VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES IN TIMES OF DISASTER" (2021). PACIS 2021 Proceedings. 53.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2021/53