Interacting through disclosing: Peer interaction patterns based on self-disclosure levels via facebook

Abstract

Peer interaction in an online environment has close connections with self-disclosure. Hence, this study was conducted to explore peer interaction patterns and self-disclosure levels via a social networking tool, specifically, Facebook. Twenty-two postgraduate students who enrolled for the Authoring System course participated in the study. Data were gathered from the online discussion transcripts in Facebook. The online discussion transcripts were coded and analysed based on (a) coding scheme for identifying patterns of peer interaction, and (b) a self-disclosure rating scale for categorizing the levels of self-disclosure. Findings showed that the students had mostly used response and position types of peer interaction. Meanwhile, most of the students were self-disclosing through Information-Level 1 followed by Feeling-Level 1, and Thought-Level 1. Furthermore, peer interaction patterns were found to have a strong significant and positive correlation with self-disclosure levels. In conclusion, this study revealed that high self-disclosure by students affects positively peer interaction in Facebook discussions. The implications of these results are considered, and possible future studies are suggested.