{"id":{"repo_id":"rowan","oai_identifier":"oai:rdw.rowan.edu:etd-1185"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/rowan/oai:rdw.rowan.edu:etd-1185","repository":{"repo_id":"rowan","name":"Rowan University","base_url":"https://rdw.rowan.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Engaged or just \"friends\": using social media for membership engagement or identity management through group affiliations","abstract":"The purpose of this study investigation was to ascertain the engagement levels of emerging-aged adults that affiliate and hold membership in groups both on and offline. In-person and online participation levels were examined, and motives for online activity on groups' social media pages were investigated to understand how profile identity formation played a role in emerging-aged adults' associations. Information acquired through this study assists in further examining Facebook and Twitter's influence on social capital production within groups. Group members demonstrated a preference for email and in-person communication over social networking sites, higher levels of offline engagement versus online, and an authenticity to join groups without the need to enhance their online self-image. The findings show that social media bears little weight on how group members organize to accomplish goals, seek information or form collective action in real-world terms.","abstract_html":"The purpose of this study investigation was to ascertain the engagement levels of emerging-aged adults that affiliate and hold membership in groups both on and offline. In-person and online participation levels were examined, and motives for online activity on groups' social media pages were investigated to understand how profile identity formation played a role in emerging-aged adults' associations. Information acquired through this study assists in further examining Facebook and Twitter's influence on social capital production within groups. Group members demonstrated a preference for email and in-person communication over social networking sites, higher levels of offline engagement versus online, and an authenticity to join groups without the need to enhance their online self-image. The findings show that social media bears little weight on how group members organize to accomplish goals, seek information or form collective action in real-world terms.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Crawford, Emel"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"M.A. Public Relations","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Public Relations/Advertising","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["FitzGerald, Suzanne"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-08-06T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-08-06T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:13:03Z","subjects":["Social media; Social groups","Public Relations and Advertising"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/186","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["FitzGerald, Suzanne"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Crawford, Emel"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2020-03-03T19:58:46Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Public Relations/Advertising"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M.A. Public Relations"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Social media; Social groups","Public Relations and Advertising"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/186"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this study investigation was to ascertain the engagement levels of emerging-aged adults that affiliate and hold membership in groups both on and offline. In-person and online participation levels were examined, and motives for online activity on groups' social media pages were investigated to understand how profile identity formation played a role in emerging-aged adults' associations. Information acquired through this study assists in further examining Facebook and Twitter's influence on social capital production within groups. Group members demonstrated a preference for email and in-person communication over social networking sites, higher levels of offline engagement versus online, and an authenticity to join groups without the need to enhance their online self-image. The findings show that social media bears little weight on how group members organize to accomplish goals, seek information or form collective action in real-world terms."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Engaged or just \"friends\": using social media for membership engagement or identity management through group affiliations"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["FitzGerald, Suzanne"],"dc:creator":["Crawford, Emel"],"dc:date.available":["2020-03-03T19:58:46Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this study investigation was to ascertain the engagement levels of emerging-aged adults that affiliate and hold membership in groups both on and offline. In-person and online participation levels were examined, and motives for online activity on groups' social media pages were investigated to understand how profile identity formation played a role in emerging-aged adults' associations. Information acquired through this study assists in further examining Facebook and Twitter's influence on social capital production within groups. Group members demonstrated a preference for email and in-person communication over social networking sites, higher levels of offline engagement versus online, and an authenticity to join groups without the need to enhance their online self-image. The findings show that social media bears little weight on how group members organize to accomplish goals, seek information or form collective action in real-world terms."],"dc:identifier":["https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/186"],"dc:subject":["Social media; Social groups","Public Relations and Advertising"],"dc:title":["Engaged or just \"friends\": using social media for membership engagement or identity management through group affiliations"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Public Relations/Advertising"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["M.A. Public Relations"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:13:03Z"}