Why vocal minority dominate Chinese microblog discussions: the influence of status difference

Abstract

Discussions on Chinese microblog space are often dominated by a few users who occupy higher-status positions compared to the silent majority. In this study, we examined the effects of status differences on the discussion motivation and leadership in a Chinese microblog site. An online experiment was conducted by inviting 16 sophomores low status and 16 senior high status students to a two-week microblog discussion. The results revealed that low-status users were more motivated by personal benefits than high-status users. High-status users were more likely to be nominated as group leaders, although they did not show more leadership behaviours. Through these findings, we explain why the high-status minority dominate Chinese microblogs and provide suggestions for encouraging more diverse voices.