INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH

QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE

Twitch as a sociotechnical system for building and supporting inclusive communities

The rise of live broadcasting has revolutionized information dissemination, creating new avenues for social networking and an array of social media platforms. Among them, Twitch stands out as a popular and inclusive streaming platform that fosters diverse communities. I collaborated with a group of fellow grad students to explore how chat bots function within this sociotechnical system, helping streamers cultivate their communities. As part of this project, I took charge of the visuals section on our capstone website, designing and creating all the visuals. Through my research, I discovered that visual representations of AI bots serve as a rewarding mechanism for subscribers and contribute to community growth.

Building Better Relationships: An Analysis of Technology-Mediated Relationships

The landscape of dating has shifted with the rising popularity of dating applications, transforming what was once considered unconventional into the new norm. However, existing dating apps often fall short in fostering both exciting and healthy connections. In this paper, I embark on an extensive literature review that explores relationship and community building through various technologies, including dating apps, social media platforms, and video games. By analyzing survey responses from over 70 potential consumers and synthesizing the findings, I propose a groundbreaking approach that leverages the unique affordances and limitations of each technological avenue. This research lays the groundwork for the development of a geo-localized, community-building metaverse—a hybrid platform that prioritizes users’ desires for genuine, healthy, and thrilling connections.

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I found myself at a pivotal moment in my professional journey, contemplating multiple potential career paths. The options before me ranged from pursuing social science research within a scientific organization, to embracing the freedom of working remotely as a graphic designer and multimedia content creator for a PR firm while living abroad, or even taking a bold step into the entrepreneurial realm to establish my own mission-driven company. To gain clarity on which path to pursue, I conducted interviews with 10 seasoned professionals, meticulously analyzing their career journeys through thematic coding. The insights gleaned from these conversations instilled in me the confidence and determination to embark on my own entrepreneurial endeavors.

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Attachment Style, Conflict Resolution and Ghosting Behavior

During my time at the University of Maryland, College Park, a distinguished Research 1 state university, I had the privilege of conducting a groundbreaking study in Social Psychology under the guidance of a senior professor. Focusing on the prevalent social media phenomenon known as “ghosting,” I explored the correlation between individuals’ attachment styles and their propensity for engaging in this behavior. This study marked a pioneering endeavor, as it was the first of its kind.

While the data regression analysis did not reveal a significant effect of the hypothesized mediator on the relationship between attachment style and “ghosting” behavior, the study did uncover a significant total effect between insecure attachment styles and “ghosting.” This valuable research experience provided me with firsthand insight into how a person’s past experiences and traumas can shape their present behavior. It further reinforced the notion that social data analysis holds immense potential in unraveling the complexities of the human experience.

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Content Homogeneity’s role in Content House/Creator Popularity

In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, TikTok has emerged as a prominent platform, capturing the attention and engagement of millions of users worldwide. As TikTok’s popularity continues to soar, a new trend has emerged in the form of “content creation houses.” These houses bring together diverse TikTok influencers who cohabit, collaborate, and synergize their individual networks to create compelling content. Building upon the concept of the similarity attraction effect, this study delved into the dynamics of these content creation houses to explore the correlation between in-group homogeneity and the social influence and popularity of these collective entities.

Drawing from previous research on network homogeneity and its impact on influencing behavior, the study meticulously analyzed the TikTok content and social networks of individuals within various content houses, as well as the official accounts associated with these houses. By examining these factors, the study aimed to unveil whether a significant correlation exists between in-group homogeneity and the social influence and popularity exhibited by these content houses. Through this research endeavor, we sought to shed light on the intricate interplay between homogeneity, social influence, and the success of these emerging social media phenomena.

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