The role of online communities for Canadian immigrants: knowledge and support systems provided by Reddit

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dc.contributor.authorKoshuta, Makayla R.
dc.contributor.authorUniversity of Lethbridge. Dhillon School of Business
dc.contributor.supervisorBasil, Debra Z.
dc.date.accessioned2025-07-09T18:23:59Z
dc.date.available2025-07-09T18:23:59Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.degree.levelMasters
dc.description.abstractThis research study examined how Canadian newcomers seek and share settlement information on Reddit. Applying a transformative consumer research (TCR) lens, the research study explores motivational factors behind information sharing on social media within the context of the Canadian immigrant community on Reddit. The key hypothesized factors for immigrants’ motivations to share information regarding the Canadian immigrant settlement process on Reddit include empathy, sense of community, and advocacy and activism. The study analyzed 10 Reddit discussion threads obtained through data scraping, with a total of 691 comments after data cleaning, using qualitative content analysis as well as some quantitative analyses for hypothesis testing. The results of the study revealed a significant expression of shared experience and advocacy and activism within the Reddit conversations, as well as a small positive correlation and statistically significant relationship between empathy and shared experience. The findings also revealed that many immigrants tend to seek informal information and supports from Reddit, rather than through formal settlement support organizations such as government and non-profit organizations. Overall, this research study provides a better understanding of how settlement information is sought and shared by existing and prospective Canadian immigrants through Reddit discussion forums. These findings can benefit those engaged in transformative service research and social marketing efforts to facilitate immigrant settlement in Canada.
dc.embargoNo
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10133/7063
dc.publisherLethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dhillon School of Business
dc.publisher.facultyDhillon School of Business
dc.relation.ispartofseriesThesis (University of Lethbridge. Dhillon School of Business)
dc.subjectCanadian immigrants
dc.subjectReddit
dc.subjectCanadian newcomers
dc.subjectOnline community
dc.subjectContent analysis
dc.subjectData scraping
dc.subjectInformation sharing motivations
dc.subject.lcshDissertations, Academic
dc.subject.lcshReddit (Firm)
dc.subject.lcshImmigrants--Canada
dc.subject.lcshOnline social networks--Canada
dc.titleThe role of online communities for Canadian immigrants: knowledge and support systems provided by Reddit
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