從關係網絡觀點探討社會網絡網站使用之研究─以大學生使用Facebook為例

Abstract

近年來社會網絡網站(social network sites, SNSs)開始受到全世界的矚目，有愈來愈多的使用者用其來建立或維繫與朋友間的社會關係，而這股使用浪潮也開始吸引不同領域學者的注意。然而，值得資管學界學者加以深思的，是當人與人之間的互動方式，從面對面的情境逐漸轉移到SNSs的平台之後，會對現實生活的人際互動造成什麼改變？當SNSs促使網路社群力量的崛起，又會對未來的社會與組織帶來什麼衝擊？因此瞭解使用者為什麼採用SNSs來發展虛擬的人際關係，以及探討使用者使用SNSs之後，會對現實生活造成什麼影響，將有助於資管學界進一步瞭解SNSs與網路社群之間的關係，故有其研究的必要性。 本研究經由文獻整理後，認為目前SNSs的相關研究有兩點研究方法上的限制。第一、以個人的人格特質做為自變數，透過統計分析方法來探討這些因素如何影響SNSs的使用，但統計分析過程中已將結果抽象化，因此無法說明SNSs是在什麼「情境」之下幫助使用者建立起關係網絡。第二、研究主要是透過抽樣方法進行，但抽樣的結果也無法呈現研究對象在SNSs中真正的關係網絡。因此，本研究以關係網絡的觀點為基礎，以某專科學校資管科的一整個班級來進行大學生使用SNSs之行為研究，並以學生在Facebook（中文譯為臉書）上的互動，作為網路互動的觀察標的。 本研究探討兩個研究問題。第一個研究問題在瞭解使用者基於什麼理由採用SNSs以加入網路社群。本研究從理論面的角度，選擇「媒體豐富理論」、「科技接受模式」與「關係網絡觀點」三個科技採用的相關理論，探討何種理論對於使用者採用SNSs的行為有較佳的解釋能力。第二個研究問題在瞭解當使用者採用了SNSs之後，使用者在實體的現實生活與虛擬的SNSs上的人際關係網絡會產生什麼變化。本研究從現象面著手，探討SNSs的使用者在現實生活以及在SNSs中的關係網絡有何差異，以及造成差異的因素為何。針對第一個研究問題，本研究運用否證論來進行理論的測試；而第二個研究問題，本研究透過關係網絡的觀點，採用社會網絡分析與俗民誌學來進行分析。 根據第一個研究問題，本研究發現三個相互競爭的科技採用理論中，「關係網絡觀點」對於使用者為何採用SNSs有較佳的解釋能力。由於關係網絡觀點並不著重於豐富媒體或行為者個人認知使用科技的行為；相反的，強調的是透過整體網絡關係、結構及位置來影響使用者選擇科技的行為。因此本研究認為SNSs是一種維繫或改變關係網絡的工具，大學生會因為在團體中所處的網絡位置及特性而決定是否使用SNSs。 第二個研究問題，本研究從研究對象的分析中發掘出兩個值得注意的議題，包括性別的隔閡與同儕團體的界線。此外，本研究也發現Facebook扮演著促進關係網絡發展的角色，包括「友誼催化劑」，指的是觸發關係網絡從無到有的一個媒介；以及「友誼潤滑劑」，指的是朋友間的關係網絡可能存在，但受到某些環境限制，因此透過Facebook來排除障礙或提供另一個溝通的管道。 最後，本研究提出理論上、研究方法上及實務上的意涵，以及對未來研究方向的建議。

In recent years, the trend of social networking sites (SNSs), and the social relationships constructed or maintained within them, has gained increasing global attention from scholars of various fields. However, scholars of information management should further consider the following questions. As interpersonal interactions gradually turn from face-to-face situations to platforms within SNSs, how will it influence the reality of interpersonal interactions? As SNSs result in increased internet communities, how will it influence future societies and organizations? By probing into the reason that users develop virtual interpersonal relationships through SNSs, and the influence of users’ use of SNSs on reality, information management scholars will recognize the relationships between SNSs and internet communities. Upon literature review, this study suggests that current researches on SNSs reveal two limitations in research methods. First, upon individual personality traits as independent variables, statistical analysis is conducted in order to determine how the factors influence the use of SNSs. However, the statistical analysis results are abstract and cannot indicate the “contexts” in which SNSs allow users to construct relationship networks. Secondly, research is based on sampling; however, the outcome of sampling cannot demonstrate the subjects’ actual relationship networks in SNSs. Therefore, upon relationship networks, this study treats one class, namely, an information management department of a college, as the subjects in order to probe into college students’ use of SNSs, where students’ interactions on Facebook are the observation target of online interactions. This study probes into two research issues. The first issue is to determine the reason for user participation in internet communities through SNSs. In terms of theories, according to three technology adoption related theories, namely, media richness theory, technology acceptance model, and relationship networks, this study attempts to determine which theory reveals better explanation power for users’ use of SNS. The second issue is in regard to users’ changes in life style, based upon interpersonal relationship networks in reality and on virtual SNSs upon using SNSs. Upon this phenomenon, this research explores the differences between SNSs users’ relationship networks in reality, and on SNSs and the factors that comprise the difference. Regarding the first issue, falsificationism is adopted to test the theory; while for the second issue, relationship networks, analysis is based upon social network analysis and ethnography. As to the first issue, this study demonstrates that among the three competing technology adoption related theories; “relationship networks” reveal better explanation power for users’ use of SNSs. The perspective of relationship networks does not aim to enhance media or the users’ personal recognition of technology use; instead, it emphasizes the influence on users’ selections of technology, according to overall network relationships, structure, and positions. Therefore, this study suggests that SNSs are tools to maintain or change relationship networks. College students will determine the use of SNSs according to their network positions and characteristics within a group. Regarding the second issue, two interesting themes are discovered from subject analysis, namely, gender gap and limitations of peer groups. In addition, it demonstrates that Facebook enhances the development of relationship networks, as it is a “friendship catalyst” (media to trigger the construction of relationship networks) and a “friendship facilitator” (possible relationship networks among friends; however, they are restricted by certain environments). Thus, Facebook avoids obstacles and provides other communication channels. Finally, this study indicates the implications of the theories, research methods, practices, and suggestions for future research directions.