A Romania of the imagination: Formula As, virtual community, and normative behavior

Authors

  • Gary Burnett Florida State University
  • Mihaela Nocasian University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v13i11.2257

Keywords:

virtual communities, theory of normative behavior

Abstract

Using concepts from the Theory of Normative Behavior (Burnett, et al., 2001), this article examines a print-based virtual community that interacts in the pages of a Romanian magazine named Formula As that focuses on publishing letters from its readers. This community constitutes a textually-mediated Small World, comprised of members who share a specific set of common interests and accepted modes of interaction. Its publicly visible activities—embodied as texts in the magazine’s pages—reveal a specific Worldview, as well as specific sets of Social Norms, Social Types, and Information Behaviors. Together, these features comprise the normative shape of the Formula As Small World.

Author Biographies

Gary Burnett, Florida State University

Associate Professor, College of Information

Mihaela Nocasian, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

Assistant Professor, Department of Communication

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Published

2008-10-27

How to Cite

Burnett, G., & Nocasian, M. (2008). A Romania of the imagination: Formula As, virtual community, and normative behavior. First Monday, 13(11). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v13i11.2257