Loading...
Investigating the Facebook experience through Q Methodology: Collective investment and a ‘Borg’ mentality
Orchard, Lisa J Fullwood, Chris Morris, Neil Galbraith, Niall
Orchard, Lisa J
Fullwood, Chris
Morris, Neil
Galbraith, Niall
Editors
Other contributors
Affiliation
Epub Date
Issue Date
2014-04-02
Submitted date
Alternative
Abstract
Several recent studies have explored social networking sites, such as Facebook, in light of the uses and gratifications approach. However, research has tended to ignore the latter part of this paradigm. This article uses Q methodology to explore user experiences of Facebook, allowing further exploration of gratification from site usage. Four distinct viewpoints were found: Facebook as a superficial environment; Facebook as a valid and valuable social environment; Facebook as an environment of surveillance; and Facebook as a destructive environment. Although the viewpoints show elements of user satisfaction, some users view Facebook in an almost entirely negative way. The article concludes by theorising a model of Facebook usage, drawing upon a metaphor from Star Trek, specifically an analogy with the Borg. It is argued that a level of ‘collective investment’ resides over social networks that may sometimes promote compliance.
Citation
Orchard, L.J., Fullwood, C., Morris, N., & Galbraith, N. (2015). Investigating the Facebook experience through Q methodology: Collective investment and a ‘Borg’ mentality. New Media and Society, 17(9), pp 1547-1565.
Publisher
Journal
Research Unit
PubMed ID
PubMed Central ID
Embedded videos
Additional Links
Type
Journal article
Language
en
Description
Series/Report no.
ISSN
1461-4448
1461-7315
1461-7315