Communicative progress in system theory: a theoretical problem becomes empirical observable in new media communication

Abstract

During the last years, an increasing interest in online forums has been observed within different functional areas of society such as in the economic system or in politics. Here one is able to detect communicative processes which are lively, vibrant, and equipped with remarkable durability, on the one hand; yet, on the other hand, flame wars and shut-downs also occur. The question is what explains these differences in group success? This article provides a framework based on elements of Luhmanns's system theory to analyse online discussion groups. A research matrix is presented with four levels of observation and four levels of analysis. The value of this matrix is demonstrated with a systematic literature review. Here the most frequently cited articles analyzing online discussion forums are empirically reinterpreted. It is concluded that current research fails to (1) analyze online discourse under multiple aspects, (2) challenge temporal analysis, (3) integrate a thread-based analysis, and (4) focus on the relational aspects (e.g., actor or topic networks). Based on this literature review, a catalog of presumptions on how communication proceeds in online forums is presented.