Profiling Internet Users' Participation in Social Change Agendas: An application of Q methodology

New computer-mediated channels of communication are action oriented and have the ability to deliver information and dialogue—moderated and unmoderated—which can facilitate the bringing together society’s stakeholders, opinion leaders and change agents, who have the ability to influence social action. However, existing online studies have been limited in explaining Internet users’ willingness to participate in social change agendas online. They have relied predominately on basic demographic descriptors such as age, education, income and access to technology and have ignored, social, psychological and attitudinal variables that may explain online participation and social change. The emphasis on social/attitudinal profiling of users is suggested because Internet-based technologies have unique characteristics which impose/reconstruct individual behaviour and participation in online relationships. Issues of anonymity, perceived risk and trust all influence online behaviour and wiliness to participate in online social change agendas. Using a social marketing framework combined with social network theory, this study uses Qmethodology to profile the roles and relationships of various stakeholders involved in diffusing social ideas and actions in an online context. The empirical findings from the research have informed the development of five idealized models based on Internet users’ beliefs and attitudes about social change programs in online environments. In conclusion we make a number of suggestions about devising online social change strategies that engage the diversity of Internet users, and suggest that future research continue to profile the dynamic and complex nature of online users using a Q method approach. Profiling Internet Users’ Participation in Social Change Agendas Paper presented to the 29 Research Conference on Communication, Information and Internet Policy Previte, Hearn and Dann 2001