Sunbelt XXXI International Network for Social Network ... - INSNA

Direct And Indirect Negative Ties And Individual PerformanceMarineau, Joshua; Labianca, Giuseppe; Kane, GeraldIntra‐Organizational Networks and Job PerformancePerformance, Negative TiesTHURS.PM1Social ledger theory (Labianca and Brass, 2006) argues that the liability of a negative tie on an individual’s outcomes decreases with increasing social distance.In this study we challenge that proposition and argue that negative ties will sometimes be of benefit and sometimes a liability, depending on social distance.We draw insights from social network‐related theories (social resources theory, tertius gaudens theory, and balance theory) to make arguments on hownegative ties might relate differentially to in‐role performance at three levels of network analysis that capture different aspects of social distance: 1) anindividual’s direct ties (social distance of one); 2) their third party ties (e.g., having a positive tie to a person with a negative tie, or social distance of two), and3) the individual’s position within the entire network of ties within the organization (all direct and indirect positive and negative ties of any social distanceconsidered simultaneously). We found that direct negative ties were detrimental, but being a third party to a negative tie was beneficial for individual in‐roleperformance.Disambiguating Age, Gender And Skill: An Exploration Of Online Chat Among Mmog PlayersFoucault Welles, Brooke; Shim, Kyong J.; Ratan, Rabindra; Kennedy, Tracy; Rousse, Thomas H.Online Social NetworksCommunication Networks, Gender, On‐line Game, Age, Computer Mediated CommunicationTHURS.AM1We examine a chat network of 5878 players of the Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) Everquest 2 to identify differences in chat behavior across agegroups (young, middle, and older adults) and genders (male, female). Typically, age and gender‐based comparisons of Computer‐Mediated‐Communication(CMC) behavior are complicated by differences in Internet experience and technical skill across groups. By examining chat among experienced MMOG players,we avoid these confounds. Results of a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) reveal main effects for age on number of chat partners, brokeragetendency, average message length, and chat frequency, such that younger players are more likely than older players to exchange many short messages withmany chat partners who are relatively unconnected with one another. Main effects for gender on overall chat frequency and average messages per chatpartner suggest that women are more likely than men to chat and to exchange more messages with each chat partner. Significant interaction effects suggestthat number of chat partners and chat frequency decline dramatically as men age, but remain fairly stable for younger and middle aged women. These resultsare consistent with previous findings from studies conducted with less experienced Internet users, and suggest that differences observed across ages andgenders may not be based on technical skill (as previously suggested) but instead on age and gender‐based communication preferences.