Users’ engagement in WeChat-based support communities: A multilevel perspective

Abstract

This paper aims to uncover the logic governing members’ engagement in WeChat-based support communities (WBSCs) influenced by the affordances of WeChat groups. From a multilevel perspective involving intrapersonal, interpersonal, and group dynamics, this study proposed four micro-mechanisms—including consistency, carryover, homophily, and contagion effects—to illustrate the dynamic communication process. We collected 21,126 messages from 942 users of two educational support communities in WeChat from July 2022 to November 2022 and employed a relational event model to verify four micro-mechanisms. The results showed that individuals were more likely to engage in discussions related to topics they had previously participated in. Discussions adjacent to the members’ active time were also more likely to draw their engagement. Members’ experiences of engaging in discussing the same topic had a strong and direct impact on their subsequent collective engagement. When a topic accumulated a large number of discussants, more participation was likely to follow.