友誼網絡和傳播網絡間之動態共變

Abstract

友誼網絡與傳播網絡之間的因果關係，一直都是社會網絡分析中重要議題。近來社群網站的出現，更是讓人好奇究竟是新傳播科技影響友誼關係的形成，或是友誼關係促進了新傳播科技的使用。然而，過去許多研究並未將兩者視為共變的動態網絡。因此，本研究提出「網絡機會」（network opportunity）為影響友誼網絡和傳播網絡之間關鍵的結構變項，經由歷時性的觀察，將網絡機會視為兩網絡之間變動的重要結構效果，以區辨兩者間的因果關係。 本研究以初形成的班級網絡中，19位同班同學在五個時間點上，對班上其他成員的心理親密度變化，作為友誼網絡；以過去一個月，對班上同學使用六個主要溝通媒介（面對面、手機通話、簡訊、電子郵件，即時通訊軟體和社群網站）的使用頻率，作為傳播網絡，同時考慮兩網絡結構的相互影響，以RSiena動態網絡分析軟體預測估計各自的效果量，找出網絡機會對兩網絡的影響。 研究結果顯示，雖然友誼網絡和傳播網絡之間的主效果不顯著，但是不同的溝通媒介有其各自網絡結構特徵，來影響友誼網絡的形成：手機具高度互惠性（reciprocity），並隨時間改變，手機成為網絡成員和強連結之間的主要溝通工具。社群網站的使用具三角移轉效果（transitive triplets effect），表示社群網站的使用傾向與持相同態度的第三他者建立友誼關係。面對面和社群網站的使用具高度平衡（balance）效果，表示網絡成員傾向與在面對面和社群網站的互動對象的其他互動對象也進行溝通。甚至當網路互動大多為社交時，面對面的頻率可能會成為友誼深度的指標，且「同組」為本研究的顯著對偶共變數，表示任務導向的團體分配，有助於友誼的形成。

Whether communication networks facilitate friendship network formation or vice versa is a long-standing controversy. However, previous research lacks of consensual findings to see friendship networks and communication networks as co-evolving dynamic phenomena. We proposed ‘network opportunity’ that captured the concept of structural network changes and aimed to disentangle this causality issues. A sample of 19 newly-met graduate students familiar with different types of communication attending a required methods course was recruited. Longitudinal data was collected at five points in time over a 5-month period. Participants were asked to identify (a) their own closeness to every classmate; (b) with whom they used each medium (including face-to-face, e-mail, instant message, mobile phone, short message service, and social networking sites) to communicate with last one month; and (c) the frequency of communication. RSiena was used to estimate the multiplex co-evolution of friendship ties and communication networks. Results showed that the both of the major effects were indistinctive. However, each medium seems to have its own distinguishing network opportunity effects and is used for different types of relationships: mobile phone is a highly reciprocated medium and tend to be used in reinforcing strong social ties, and face-to-face and social networking sites have significant balance effects that tend to be used with ones’ friends who also are similar in using these mediums. Finally, face-to-face seems to be an indicator of friendship strength while online interaction may be full of social.