When Digital Trace Data Meet Traditional Communication Theory: Theoretical/Methodological Directions

Abstract

This study suggests one direction of theoretical and methodological coupling of communication research with the digital trace data, utilizing its differences from the traditional social science approach (e.g., sampling vs. population, normal distribution vs. power–law distribution, generalization vs. simulation, deductive vs. inductive, and perceived vs. actual). We propose specific examples of (i) combining communication research with trace data methodologically and theoretically; (ii) collaborating with linguistic psychology complemented with the automated content analysis and natural language processing techniques; and (iii) creating new theoretical inquiries by configuring the granular level of interactivity and underlying dynamics, observing the longitudinal change of interactions, and discovering the neglected presence of outliers and the invisibles. We expect the direction suggested by this study contributes to deepening our understanding of human communication behavior.