Online Social Support: The Interplay of Social Networks and Compu ...

Nonetheless, a simple search for support groups in Yahoo Groups produces over 35,000 online support groups. Individuals access these groups to interact with others and share emotions, information, and companionship. These exchanges take place in electronic social networks through CMC. In their study of a computer-mediated social support network for single young mothers, Dunham et al. (1998) reported “[t]he support messages exchanged in this communication medium were anything but cold, insincere, impersonal, and antisocial events that some have suggested are inevitable in this impoverished medium of communication. Indeed, the majority (56%) of replies expressed positive emotional support and empathy, and were delivered in a context of close personal relationships and a sense of community presumed to be optimal for effective social support” (p. 299). Theorists opposed to the view that physical proximity and cues are essential for intimacy and positive social interaction argue that simply because this has been a traditionally observed norm, it does not indicate that face-to-face interaction is necessary for intimacy and social interaction. Lea and Spears (1995) persuasively argue that “the oral form [has been elevated] over text in modern society; letters and postcards occupied a much stronger role in the development and maintenance of friendships and romantic relationships in the 19th century than they do today” (p. 210). Considering that the empirical work done to support these theories was conducted in a laboratory setting (Baym, 1995; Culnan & Markus, 1987; Parks & Floyd, 1996), it is not surprising that as research moves into a natural setting, findings reflect the wide range of ways CMC is used including emotional expression, social interaction, and humor.

Moreover, studies that have documented social support contained in electronic social networks and transmitted through CMC have not only described online social support as similar to face-to-face support but superior in overcoming certain limitations common to face-to-face support (for review see Chenault, 1998; Robinson & Turner, 2003).