概念、形态、影响:当下中国互联网媒介平台上的圈子传播现象解析

Concept, Form and Influence: An Analysis of the Circle Communication on the Internet in Contemporary China

文献中可见的对中国社会"圈子"现象的学理考察,肇始于费孝通的"差序格局"理论。该理论将圈子描述为区隔社会成员的边界或范围,圈子也由此具备了一种信息传播的范畴与途径特性。互联网的产生与不断发展,使得传统社会中的圈子有了更为多元的内涵与功能,并且越来越成为当下社会中一种富有内聚力的群体聚集与传播模式。基于这种现状,有必要通过对此前研究成果的梳理,从概念、形态、影响等几个方面,对当下中国互联网媒介平台上的圈子传播现象进行更加深入的探讨与解析。研究表明,建构在当下现实人际关系与互联网交叉平台上的圈子,在实际上促使碎片化的传播受众群体出现有限聚集的同时,对传统的信息生产与传播机制也形成了直接影响。在此形态下,多元生产与定向扩散将成为重要的社会信息流通特征,社会信息的圈层解读与自我审查将对既有社会主流价值的构建机制造成一定影响。同时,互联网圈子传播的发展,强化了线上网络的连结紧密程度及信息流通规模,使其呈现出实体化的趋势。相反,传统大众媒介在动态博弈中将重新界定竞争优势,转向更为多元的公共服务领域。

The theoretical investigation in the literature involving the circle phenomenon of Chinese society originated from the theory of differential mode of association proposed by Prof. Fei Xiaotong, which described the circle as boundary or scope to distinguish members of society. According to Fei, a circle can be a scope, or even a route of information dissemination. The generation and development of the Internet impel the circle in traditional society not only to be full of diversification and multifunction, but also increasingly to become a highly cohesive model for groups to gather and communicate in present society. Based on the status quo, this paper combines reviewing the previous research result and importing related research through observing representative samples from several aspects such as the concept, form and influence, and discusses the circle communication phenomenon on the Internet in contemporary China deeply. By this analysis, this paper insists that actually the circle constructed by real or virtual interpersonal relationship urges fragmented audience to aggregate limitedly, and has a direct effect on the traditional communication mechanisms. In this form, diversified production and directional diffusion will be key character for social communication, and the constructive mechanism for the mainstream of social values could be impacted by reading with circles and self- censorship for social information. Furthermore, the development of the circle communication on the Internet will strengthen the tightness of the online network and the scale of the information circulation. On the contrary, mass media would redefine the competitive advantage in dynamic game, turning to providing more diversified public service.