What people study when they study Tumblr:Classifying Tumblr-related academic research

Purpose: Since its launch in 2007, research has been carried out on the popular social networking website Tumblr. This paper identifies published Tumblr based research, classifies it to understand approaches and methods, and provides methodological recommendations for others. / Design/methodology/approach: Research regarding Tumblr was identified. Following a review of the literature, a classification scheme was adapted and applied, to understand research focus. Papers were quantitatively classified using open coded content analysis of method, subject, approach, and topic. / Findings: The majority of published work relating to Tumblr concentrates on conceptual issues, followed by aspects of the messages sent. This has evolved over time. Perceived benefits are the platform’s long-form text posts, ability to track tags, and the multimodal nature of the platform. Severe research limitations are caused by the lack of demographic, geo-spatial, and temporal metadata attached to individual posts, the limited API, restricted access to data, and the large amounts of ephemeral posts on the site. / Research limitations/implications: This study focuses on Tumblr: the applicability of the approach to other media is not considered. We focus on published research and conference papers: there will be book content which was not found using our method. Tumblr as a platform has falling user numbers which may be of concern to researchers. / Practical implications: We identify practical barriers to research on the Tumblr platform including lack of metadata and access to big data, explaining why Tumblr is not as popular as Twitter in academic studies. - Social implications This paper highlights the breadth of topics covered by social media researchers, which allows us to understand popular online platforms. / Originality/value: There has not yet been an overarching study to look at the methods and purpose of those who study Tumblr. We identify Tumblr related research papers from the first appearing in July 2011 until July 2015. Our classification derived here provides a framework that can be used to analyse social media research, and in which to position Tumblr related work, with recommendations on benefits and limitations of the platform for researchers

Queering Online Place: LGBT+ Performances Motivate Social Media Design

Despite political advances, LGBT+ experiences on social media are affected by a history of marginalization. LGBT+ people adjust the presentation of their gender and sexual identities in response to social pressures, but their level of visibility differs between social media. We interviewed seventeen LGBT+ students at a socially-conservative university to investigate: (1) how do social media affect LGBT+ user experience of managing self presentation; and (2) how do social media affect participation in LGBT+ communities? We found that LGBT+ users prefer to present their identities through sharing photos and political articles. LGBT+ users benefit from impersonal communities on reddit and more personal bonds on Tumblr. LGBT+ users rely on the perceived difficulty-of-use of a social network to an intolerant audience to gauge how visible they can be. We develop implications for design that motivate queer social media, which give people abilities to define their visibility on social media, in contrast with the HCI design principle of indiscriminate ‘making visible’

Tumblr Facts: Antecedents of Self-Disclosure across Different Social Networking Sites

: Previous research investigating antecedents of online self-disclosure pointed out two perspectives: social compensation and enhancement hypotheses, showing controversial findings. Furthermore, most contributions have focused on social networking sites (SNSs) considered mainstream, like Facebook and Instagram, and such results are often considered universally valid for all SNSs. Tumblr is a less-studied SNS with peculiar features-such as anonymity, higher control over the presentation of personal aspects, supportive communities-that could particularly lead individuals to self-disclose. As prior contributions highlighted that the features and affordances could define how a medium will be used, this paper aims to investigate the antecedents of online self-disclosure on Tumblr and other mainstream SNSs. We run a survey on 559 Tumblr users (aged 13-70; M = 28.86; SD = 12.34). T-test showed that Tumblr users have a higher willingness to self-disclose on Tumblr compared to another SNSs (t = 22.44, p < 0.001). A path analysis model confirmed the predictive role of some psychological variables on self-disclosure on Tumblr but not on mainstream SNSs. In particular, self-disclosure on Tumblr was predicted by self-esteem, negative emotionality, and preference for online social interactions, which was in turn predicted by social anxiety. These findings partially supported both social compensation and enhancement hypotheses, indicating that the phenomenon is more complex than expected

Exploring Identities in Online Music Fandoms: How identities Formed in Online Fan Communities Affect Real Life Identities

This thesis set out to explore the identities formed by members of online fandom communities, and to determine the ways in which those identities affect their real life, offline identities. This qualitative study encountered elements related to stereo types of young women who are fans of mainstream pop music, and provided insight on their experiences through interviews with five long time boy band online fandom members. This study asked if fans prefer to keep their fandom identities internal or let them reflect outward, how one\u27s online identity affects or translates to their real life identity, and what experiences in the online fandom were the most impactful to the individual\u27s real life identity or led to new knowledge. It was revealed that online community platform is the place where fans gather to enjoy a similar passion, but it is the relationships and discussions held on the site between fans that truly affect an individual and their identity, rather than the more superficial elements of being in a fandom. Through fandom discourse, members found social support and solidarity with one another

Queering Online Place: LGBT+ Performances Motivate Social Media Design

Despite political advances, LGBT+ experiences on social media are affected by a history of marginalization. LGBT+ people adjust the presentation of their gender and sexual identities in response to social pressures, but their level of visibility differs between social media. We interviewed seventeen LGBT+ students at a socially-conservative university to investigate: (1) how do social media affect LGBT+ user experience of managing self presentation; and (2) how do social media affect participation in LGBT+ communities? We found that LGBT+ users prefer to present their identities through sharing photos and political articles. LGBT+ users benefit from impersonal communities on reddit and more personal bonds on Tumblr. LGBT+ users rely on the perceived difficulty-of-use of a social network to an intolerant audience to gauge how visible they can be. We develop implications for design that motivate queer social media, which give people abilities to define their visibility on social media, in contrast with the HCI design principle of indiscriminate ‘making visible’

Simblr famous and SimSecret infamous : performance, community norms and shaming among fans OF "The Sims"

This essay explores the way fandom is performed on Tumblr by fans of the games series The Sims (Electronic Arts, 2000), as well as how the LiveJournal site SimSecret attempts to regulate and shame Tumblr behavior. Through interviews and surveys with fans and through content analysis, I examine the way in which Tumblr lends itself to particular performance norms in terms of its aesthetics, content tagging, and interactivity. I explore how fans also call out other fans for behaviors they do not approve of and how some of this shaming is connected to wider discourses surrounding the pleasures of fans, particularly teenaged female fans, often deemed to be excessive, inappropriate, or overly dramatic

Pathological personality traits of Tumblr users

Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je provjeriti imaju li osobe koje preferiraju Tumblr izraženije patološke osobine od osoba koje preferiraju ostale društvene mreže, te koje su osobine izražene kod osoba koje imaju različite obrasce korištenja Tumblra. Osim toga, željelo se ispitati socijalno prihvaćanje korisnice Tumblra koja vodi prikazani blog s rizičnim sadržajima, te istražiti što objašnjava socijalno prihvaćanje te osobe. Podaci su prikupljani online upitnikom. Korišteni su upitnik PID-5 za samoprocjenu ličnosti i procjenu ličnosti autorice prikazanog bloga, ček lista ponašanja na Tumblru, prikaz bloga rizičnog sadržaja i skala socijalnog prihvaćanja autorice prikazanog bloga. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo N=616 sudionika, a N=481 sudionik je odgovorio na sva pitanja. Uzorak čini 534 žena i 82 muškaraca. Najmlađi sudionik imao je 18, a najstariji 61 godinu. Prevladavaju mlađi sudionici, prosječne dobi M=21.3 godina (SD=4.30). Rezultati pokazuju da su osobine otuđenosti i psihoticizma izraženije kod korisnika Tumblra nego kod korisnika ostalih mreža, što je u skladu s percepcijom javnosti o korisnicima Tumblra i pretpostavkom da ljudi preferiraju društvene mreže koje odgovaraju njihovoj ličnosti. Osobe s mračnim obrascem korištenja Tumblra najvišima su procijenile svoj negativni afekt, dezinhibiciju i psihoticizam, što je u skladu s očekivanjima o tome da njihova struktura ličnosti upućuje na granični poremećaj ličnosti. Rezultati upućuju na to da je socijalno prihvaćanje autorice prikazanog bloga nisko, a najniže je za intimnije odnose. Autoricu bloga skloniji su prihvatiti muškarci i manje obrazovane osobe. Više ju prihvaćaju osobe koje su joj slične po tome što i same imaju mračni ili seksualni obrazac ponašanja na Tumblru, i koje su i same visoke na antagonizmu. Prihvaćaju ju ljudi koji ju procjenjuju nižom na antagonizmu i dezinhibiciji.The aim of this study was to examine whether people who prefer Tumblr have higher pathological personality traits than people who prefer other social networks, and to examine which pathological personality traits are dominant in people who have different behavioral patterns on Tumblr. We also wanted to explore social acceptance of the Tumblr user who runs a blog with risky content, and to find which variables explain the social acceptance of that person. Online questionnaire consisted of a display of a risky content blog, PID-5 questionnaire which was used for self-assessment and assessment of the author of the displayed blog, check list about behavior on Tumblr, and social acceptance questionnaire. 616 people participated in the survey, and 481 finished it. There were 534 female and 82 male participants. The youngest participant was 18, and the oldest was 61 years old. Mean age of the sample is M=21.3 years (SD = 4.30). The results show that Tumblr users are higher on deatachment and psychoticism than users of other networks, which is consistent with the way public sees Tumblr users, and with the hypothesis that people prefer social networks which match their personality. It has been found that people with dark behavioral pattern on Tumblr rate their negative affectivity, disinhibition and psychoticism the highest, which suggests that their personality structure is similar to people who suffer from borderline personality disorder. The results suggest that the social acceptance of the author of the displayed blog is low; and the lowest for intimate relationships. The author of the blog is more likely to be accepted by men, by less educated people, by people who have a dark or sexual behavioral pattern on Tumblr, and by people who are high on antagonism. People accept her more if they rank her lower on antagonism and disinhibition

Pathological personality traits of Tumblr users

Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je provjeriti imaju li osobe koje preferiraju Tumblr izraženije patološke osobine od osoba koje preferiraju ostale društvene mreže, te koje su osobine izražene kod osoba koje imaju različite obrasce korištenja Tumblra. Osim toga, željelo se ispitati socijalno prihvaćanje korisnice Tumblra koja vodi prikazani blog s rizičnim sadržajima, te istražiti što objašnjava socijalno prihvaćanje te osobe. Podaci su prikupljani online upitnikom. Korišteni su upitnik PID-5 za samoprocjenu ličnosti i procjenu ličnosti autorice prikazanog bloga, ček lista ponašanja na Tumblru, prikaz bloga rizičnog sadržaja i skala socijalnog prihvaćanja autorice prikazanog bloga. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo N=616 sudionika, a N=481 sudionik je odgovorio na sva pitanja. Uzorak čini 534 žena i 82 muškaraca. Najmlađi sudionik imao je 18, a najstariji 61 godinu. Prevladavaju mlađi sudionici, prosječne dobi M=21.3 godina (SD=4.30). Rezultati pokazuju da su osobine otuđenosti i psihoticizma izraženije kod korisnika Tumblra nego kod korisnika ostalih mreža, što je u skladu s percepcijom javnosti o korisnicima Tumblra i pretpostavkom da ljudi preferiraju društvene mreže koje odgovaraju njihovoj ličnosti. Osobe s mračnim obrascem korištenja Tumblra najvišima su procijenile svoj negativni afekt, dezinhibiciju i psihoticizam, što je u skladu s očekivanjima o tome da njihova struktura ličnosti upućuje na granični poremećaj ličnosti. Rezultati upućuju na to da je socijalno prihvaćanje autorice prikazanog bloga nisko, a najniže je za intimnije odnose. Autoricu bloga skloniji su prihvatiti muškarci i manje obrazovane osobe. Više ju prihvaćaju osobe koje su joj slične po tome što i same imaju mračni ili seksualni obrazac ponašanja na Tumblru, i koje su i same visoke na antagonizmu. Prihvaćaju ju ljudi koji ju procjenjuju nižom na antagonizmu i dezinhibiciji.The aim of this study was to examine whether people who prefer Tumblr have higher pathological personality traits than people who prefer other social networks, and to examine which pathological personality traits are dominant in people who have different behavioral patterns on Tumblr. We also wanted to explore social acceptance of the Tumblr user who runs a blog with risky content, and to find which variables explain the social acceptance of that person. Online questionnaire consisted of a display of a risky content blog, PID-5 questionnaire which was used for self-assessment and assessment of the author of the displayed blog, check list about behavior on Tumblr, and social acceptance questionnaire. 616 people participated in the survey, and 481 finished it. There were 534 female and 82 male participants. The youngest participant was 18, and the oldest was 61 years old. Mean age of the sample is M=21.3 years (SD = 4.30). The results show that Tumblr users are higher on deatachment and psychoticism than users of other networks, which is consistent with the way public sees Tumblr users, and with the hypothesis that people prefer social networks which match their personality. It has been found that people with dark behavioral pattern on Tumblr rate their negative affectivity, disinhibition and psychoticism the highest, which suggests that their personality structure is similar to people who suffer from borderline personality disorder. The results suggest that the social acceptance of the author of the displayed blog is low; and the lowest for intimate relationships. The author of the blog is more likely to be accepted by men, by less educated people, by people who have a dark or sexual behavioral pattern on Tumblr, and by people who are high on antagonism. People accept her more if they rank her lower on antagonism and disinhibition

The Antagonistic Anatomy of Anti-shippers: A Thematic Analysis

Within the transformative fandom community is an ideologically-affiliated group known as anti-shippers, whose rhetoric contends that fictional interests are an indication of those held in reality. Anti-shippers focus solely on fictional material perceived to be sexual in nature and make frequent references to pedophilia. This rhetoric is used to justify harassment against individuals who do not share in their beliefs. As this population primarily operates on social media, this study was designed to conduct an exploratory investigation into themes gleaned from posts authored by anti-shippers on Twitter. Utilizing latent content analysis, a total of 187 posts from 222 unique users were evaluated, resulting in the identification of 19 themes. Anti-shippers were found to operate from an antagonistic in-group versus out-group position. Several topical themes, such as incest, pedophilia, and sexual grooming were observed. Additionally, anti-shippers exhibited a number of behavioral themes, to include hypervigilance, harassment, and preoccupation, while themes regarding beliefs and values, particularly disgust and morality were also noted. Though further research is required, these themes indicate a troubling pattern, suggesting that anti-shippers present a risk to the transformative fandom community, its members, and themselves