Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/309855 
Year of Publication: 
2023
Citation: 
[Journal:] Group Decision and Negotiation [ISSN:] 1572-9907 [Volume:] 32 [Issue:] 2 [Publisher:] Springer Netherlands [Place:] Dordrecht [Year:] 2023 [Pages:] 435-467
Publisher: 
Springer Netherlands, Dordrecht
Abstract: 
Online platforms facilitate the formation of micro-communities on the Internet by enabling exchange between locally dispersed individuals. Since all interactions are mediated through the online platform, user representation plays a critical role for such communities. Grounded in Social Exchange Theory, we report results of a behavioral experiment on the role of user profile photos and avatars for the emergence of network structures over time. While overall network value increases slightly, the underlying structures of exchange shift systematically from many weak ties to fewer but significantly stronger reciprocal exchange relations. Interestingly, despite representing users in a highly abstracted way, avatars yield outcomes comparable to those when using actual photographs. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of how online platforms can leverage social cues such as profile photos and avatars to manage and support micro-communities.
Subjects: 
Laboratory experiment
Micro-communities
Reciprocity
Social cues
Social exchange theory
JEL: 
C9
D61
D85
D91
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Article
Document Version: 
Published Version

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