Twitter as an Object of Sociological Inquiry and a Source of Social Data: Constructivist Perspective Cover Image

Twitter jako przedmiot badań socjologicznych i źródło danych społecznych: perspektywa konstruktywistyczna
Twitter as an Object of Sociological Inquiry and a Source of Social Data: Constructivist Perspective

Author(s): Olga Rodak
Subject(s): Social Theory, Social Informatics
Published by: Instytut Filozofii i Socjologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk
Keywords: Twitter; digital sociology; computational social science; social network sites; social media data; Big Data; small data

Summary/Abstract: Twitter received special attention of social scientists for at least two reasons. Firstly, this social networking site is a social phenomenon, influencing communication and organizational practices. Secondly, Twitter is a repository of structured data, which may be used in order to study phenomena either related or not directly related with social impact of this medium. The purpose of the following paper is to summarize knowledge, which, in the author’s opinion, is necessary to smoothly and fruitfully use Twitter for conducting sociological inquiry: either this, in which Twitter is an object of analysis, or the one in which the service only delivers analytical data. As technology reconfigures social practices, being at the same time shaped by those practices, sociology of Twitter demands first of all understanding of the character of this technology as well as the influence of this technology on research practices, which are here understood as social practices. The article shows transformative character of Twitter in these two aspects. Constructivist perspective enables to understand the medium itself, as well as the character and limitations of data produced through it.

  • Issue Year: 226/2017
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 209-236
  • Page Count: 28
  • Language: Polish