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Combining knowledge from research on prosocial behavior, online communication, and (online) social support, this paper examines (1) how online communication shapes the provision of online support and (2) how the provision of online support is related to wellbeing. The focus lies on the underrepresented perspective of those acting prosocially by providing support. To answer these research questions, a qualitative (n = 22) and quantitative study (n = 470) have been conducted. The results of both studies suggest that providing online social support is positively related to people's wellbeing by satisfying basic psychological needs. This relation was partially mediated by beneficence and moderated by autonomous motivation and positive feedback. The qualitative results underline the specific conditions of online communication for providing support. It connects people with shared concerns and enables the autonomous building of anonymous support communities. Moreover, asynchronous communication with reduced cues transmitted may foster positive feedback that strengthens the self-image of those acting prosocially. • This paper focuses on the perspective of those providing support online. • A qualitative and a quantitative study are combined. • Providing online support may be positively related to people's wellbeing. • Mediators and moderators of the relation are examined. • Specific conditions of online communication for providing support are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a growing prevalence of social media use worldwide where individuals share varying aspects of their lives, this paper focuses on how individuals with a chronic illness use these communications platforms to discuss their health. This paper aims to provide a qualitative approach to understanding the connection between the technical features offered by Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and the therapeutic affordances experienced. Semi structured interviews were carried out with 38 participants living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease who use Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram for health-related support. Interview transcripts were analysed systematically to draw connections between platform features and therapeutic affordances. The interview data was thematically coded through an adapted SCENA Model to infer therapeutic affordances, while content analysis identified the technical features discussed. Our findings indicate that most participants (79%) use more than one social media platform for health-related discourse and that features on the platforms offer different therapeutic affordances. Facebook Groups' privacy settings affording self-presentation as individuals feel comforted that other people cannot see what they post, while hashtags afford connectivity on Twitter and Instagram, but not on Facebook. This approach enabled the authors to identify similarities and differences between social media platforms and their technical features. • Multiple social media use common for health-related online support. • Social platforms' interfaces impact on therapeutic affordances differently. • Hidden and sequential affordances realised through multiple features used. • People with chronic illnesses are aware of their online identity. • Identity management important part of online health communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many businesses have commenced using social media for crisis communication with stakeholders. However there is little guidance in literature to assist organisational crisis managers with the selection of an appropriate crisis response strategy. Traditional theories on crisis communication may not adequately represent the social media context. This study took a qualitative approach and explored organisational use of social media for crisis communication at seventeen large Australian organisations. An analysis of 15,650 Facebook and Twitter messages was conducted, drawing on the lens of Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) (Coombs & Holladay, 2002). Findings suggested that when large Australian organisations responded to crises via social media, they lacked an awareness of the potential of social media for crisis communication. Organisations often did not respond to stakeholder messages or selected crisis response strategies that may increase reputational risk. The paper contributes important understandings of organisational social media use for crisis communication. It also assists crisis managers by providing six crisis response positions and a taxonomy of social media crisis messages that stakeholders may send to organisations. Key implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: While many explanations of influence have been proposed there is still debate over which is correct even though most are supported by empirical evidence. This uncertainty has been attributed to there being too little evidence of real-world influence networks, and an inability to separate influence from cognitive similarity, that is, a pre-existing like-mindedness, attitude or way of thinking shared among participants. This paper proposes theme resonance, a new metric for measuring both influence and cognitive similarity between and among participants in the same online conversation. Theme resonance is derived from two textual content analysis systems: Centering Resonance Analysis and qualitative thematic modeling. The use of theme resonance is demonstrated by constructing influence networks using online conversations in ten weblogs, allowing the propagation of new conversational themes to be traced from initiator though subsequent propagators. A method of separating influence from like-mindedness is also demonstrated. Depending on the metric chosen influence and its susceptibility were found both to be opposite ends of the same spectrum, and distinct attributes. In either case the majority of blog participants are close to the low end of each characteristic. However, those at the higher ends are shown to be easily and distinctly identified. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]