Abstract: Using data from a survey on the use of online social tools by mid-aged and older adults in 2021, this paper investigates the relationships between the variety, relationship types, and activity level of online communities, and social networks of mid-aged and older adults by using the structural equation modeling. The study found that the mid-aged and older adults had better relationships with their relatives and friends as the variety of online communities increased. Strong and sub-strong tie groups could promote family and friend networks, respectively, while sub-weak and weak tie groups could promote both types of networks. Moreover, the higher the activity in the online communities, the greater the promotion of their friend networks. Findings promote the understanding of changes in the social network in the internet era. Online communities break through the physical distance in the traditional differential mode of associations by enhancing family relations, strengthening and expanding friend relations horizontally, and helping restore interrupted friend relations vertically. The breadth and depth of the social network of mid-aged and older adults have been developed through online communities.

摘要： 使用 2021 年中老年人网络社交工具使用状况专项调查数据,利用结构方程模型分析网络社群参与广度、关系类型和活跃度对中老年人社会网络的影响。 研究发现,网络社群参与类型越广,中老年人与家人朋友联系越频繁、关系越亲近;强关系和次强关系群分别对中老年人家庭网络和朋友网络有促进作用,次弱关系和弱关系群对两种网络均有促进作用;中老年人在网络社群中的活跃度越高对其朋友网络的促进作用越大。 研究结果有助于理解传统社会网络在互联网时代中的变迁,网络社群中的社会关系突破了“差序格局”中的物理距离,在横向上强化家庭网络,加强和拓展朋友关系;在纵向上有助于恢复中断的朋友关系,使得中老年人社会网络的广度、深度都得到拓展。

关键词: 网络社群, 社会网络, 差序格局, 弱关系, 中老年人