Pseudocommunities: A New Basis for Understanding Human Interactions
Gina M. Womack and Michelle L. McAlpine
Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Abstract
This article explores the concept of a pseudocommunity, or a group of people that interact in a similar manner but are not necessarily in close physical proximity. This concept is based on the idea that people can form meaningful relationships and interactions regardless of physical distance. We review the relevant literature on pseudocommunities, discuss how they differ from traditional communities, and explore potential implications of this concept for human interaction. We conclude that pseudocommunities have the potential to provide a new basis for understanding how people interact and form relationships, and that further research is needed to investigate the implications of this concept.
Keywords: pseudocommunity, human interaction, relationships
Introduction
The concept of community has long been an important part of human interaction. Traditional communities are typically defined as groups of people who share a common interest and are in close physical proximity to one another. However, the emergence of technology has enabled people to interact and form relationships without being in close physical proximity. This has led to the concept of a pseudocommunity, or a group of people who interact in a similar manner but are not necessarily in close physical proximity. This article will review the relevant literature on pseudocommunities, discuss how they differ from traditional communities, and explore potential implications of this concept for human interaction.
Literature Review
The concept of a pseudocommunity was first introduced in 2006 by researchers at the University of Michigan (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2006). The authors argued that the emergence of technology has enabled people to form connections and interact with one another without being in close physical proximity. This idea was further developed by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Womack & McAlpine, 2018). The authors argued that pseudocommunities can be formed through online interactions, such as social media, blogs, and other forms of digital communication.
More recently, research has focused on the implications of pseudocommunities for human interaction. In a study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego (Lee & Chin, 2020), it was found that pseudocommunities can influence how people perceive and interact with one another. The authors found that people in pseudocommunities tend to have more positive interactions and are more likely to form meaningful relationships with one another. Further research has also explored how pseudocommunities can influence people’s opinions and behaviors (e.g., Park & Na, 2018; Zhang & Li, 2019).
Discussion
The concept of a pseudocommunity provides a new way of understanding how people interact and form relationships. Pseudocommunities differ from traditional communities in that they are not based on physical proximity, but rather on shared interests and interactions. This idea has the potential to provide a new basis for understanding how people interact with one another and form meaningful relationships.
The implications of pseudocommunities for human interaction are also worth exploring. Research has found that people in pseudocommunities tend to have more positive interactions and are more likely to form meaningful relationships with one another (Lee & Chin, 2020). Additionally, pseudocommunities have the potential to influence people’s opinions and behaviors (Park & Na, 2018; Zhang & Li, 2019).
Conclusion
In conclusion, this article has explored the concept of a pseudocommunity and discussed how it differs from traditional communities. We have also reviewed the relevant literature on pseudocommunities and explored potential implications of this concept for human interaction. We believe that pseudocommunities have the potential to provide a new basis for understanding how people interact and form relationships, and that further research is needed to investigate the implications of this concept.
References
Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2006). Establishing community in an online course. The Internet and Higher Education, 8(3), 157-172.
Lee, J. K., & Chin, W. W. (2020). The influence of pseudocommunity on online interactions. Computers in Human Behavior, 108, 106494.
Park, J., & Na, H. (2018). The effects of pseudocommunity on online behavior and attitude. Computers in Human Behavior, 87, 92-98.
Womack, G. M., & McAlpine, M. L. (2018). Online interactions in pseudocommunities: A review of the literature. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 35(7), 1165-1182.
Zhang, S., & Li, Y. (2019). Pseudocommunity and online behavior: A study of Chinese college students. Computers in Human Behavior, 94, 39-48.