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Concept information

Preferred term

virtual community  

Definition(s)

  • The term virtual community is used in three broad senses: to refer to (1) a group of people who associate themselves over time with a computer-mediated environment, with emphasis on the social behavior of the group; (2) the phenomenon of online group formation, typically in light of the historical and theoretical implications of the terms virtual and community; and (3) the technological environment (e.g., listserv, chat room, web-based environment) that facilitates and potentially shapes the formation and activity of online groups. The first sense is most common in social science research, the second in humanities research, and the third in technology-focused research and design. [Source: The SAGE Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods; Virtual Community]

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URI

http://data.loterre.fr/ark:/67375/N9J-J66LMDHR-4

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