Complex social networks in online sharing of experiences: Self- and other-positioning

Abstract

This study investigates online speakers’ positioning practices against the backdrop of complex social networks presented in their sharing of personal experiences. It leverages the power of large language models (LLMs), complex social network analysis, and discourse analysis to analyse 154 online posts extracted from a Chinese social media platform. The findings reveal that online sharing of personal experiences in Chinese involves an average of six characters of a social network. The speakers are inclined to present in-group social networks rather than out-groups. More interestingly, Chinese online speakers embed themselves deeply in the in-group social network and, at times, speak as part of the group voice. They position themselves and their in-groups as powerless and unsuccessful ordinary people when sharing experiences. The positioning practices serve as an audience design to engage the broad online audiences, who, interestingly, take a participatory role in the shared experiences. By moving beyond the traditionally examined speaker-hearer dyads, this study advances our understanding of the intricate positioning practices in online sharing discourses.