Online communities, identity, and leisure: Why online communities mean so much to married women with young children

Abstract

Social media has generated diverse ways to enjoy leisure activities, for instance, through online communities where people interact and share leisure interests. This study applied qualitative research methods to examine the online and offline leisure activities of 20 married Taiwanese women with young children. It explored how their participation in online communities allowed them to construct collective identities and interact to find meaning in their lives. The results suggest that online communities have become “third places” that enabled these women to satisfy their leisure and social needs and find functional support for their emotional and cognitive needs. The activities and autonomy they experienced in a communal world generated a sense of freedom and offered coping resources for them. Meanwhile, the specific intentions and goals behind their participation suggest that a more nuanced analysis can provide a better understanding of leisure practices and embedded social meanings.