Characteristics of Social Network Fatigue

Abstract

This paper examines the unique characteristics of 'fatigue' in the context of use of social networks to stay socially connected. Guided by literature on 'fatigue' from within the domains of clinical and occupational studies, the paper uses a combination of in-depth interviews and individual activity logs gathered from members of a selected Facebook community to investigate social network fatigue. Characteristics of the phenomenon are culled from individual user experiences giving rise to negative emotions and/ or a change in activity patterns in the course of use of social networks, so as to derive a working definition of fatigue in the context.