Developing and Validating an ONN Efficacy Scale in Online Neighborhood Networks

Developing and Validating an ONN Efficacy Scale MARITERE MOLINET PHD CANDIDATE, CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY

What Is an Online Neighborhood Network? Restricted social media platforms designed to organize neighborhoods and connect neighbors online based on socio-spatially defined boundaries and identity verification Nebenand.de Distinct from other social media in its membership protocols and spatial delineation of neighborhoods Specified by the applications, the neighbors, or a combination of both

Research Question How can collective efficacy be conceptualized and operationalized in a communal space that lacks the physical characteristics and structural factors found in traditional neighborhood studies? Does social cohesion operate distinctly from social cohesion offline and what measure are best for capturing this construct in the online space Would an instrument measuring social controls in the digital space be able to operationalize items that measure individual perceptions of social control actions rather than expectation of social control?

Motivation for RESEARCH Global reach and continued growth and penetration in communities Question of processes occurring online and how these relate to offline outcomes Lack of research on the role of online neighborhood networks engendering and sustaining collective efficacy beliefs Understand if and how individuals develop collective efficacy beliefs online Distinction from offline processes and outcomes

What is ONN Efficacy Rooted in Collective Efficacy Theory social cohesion characterized by informational privilege, perceived sense of security, and facilitated by the efficiency of online interactions.

DESIGN > Grounded in qualitative work Conceptualization of ONN Neighborhood Watch / Community within Community > Traditional measures facilitated by security and efficiency

VARIABLES Items operationalized based on individual perceptions of online space Likert-Type Items (2 scales) Global Dimensions of ONNs (Neighborhood Watch / Community within Community) Specificity in item construction

Data & METHODS EFA CFA > Pilot testing of items > n= 236 > Eligibility Criteria > Measure to avoid social desirability bias > Four sections, 40 items, 33 observed variables > Analysis > n=423 > 24 : 1 > Same Preliminary Analysis Various tests to determine the appropriateness of the data for factor analysis

EFA Summary Statistics own 156 / 236 rent 80 / 236 Age 18-24 17 / 236 25-34 98 / 236 35-44 61 / 236 45-54 34 / 236 55+ 25 / 236 Race / Ethnicity White 194 / 236 Black 13 / 236 Latino 15 / 236 Asian 12 / 236 Gender female/nonbinary/trans/oth er male 116 / 236 Education HS or less 19 / 236 some college 52 / 236 4-year degree 110 / 236 post graduate 55 / 236 HH Income under 50k 59 / 236 50-80k 52 / 236 80-110K 43 / 236 over 110k 82 / 236 Marital Status married 142 / 236 not married 94 / 236 66% 34% Visits p/week Minutes p/week Categorical Variables ONN Groups nextdoor neighbors fb_onn whatsapp_onn Other_onn # of ONN Groups 1 2 3 Posts read p/ week none 1-2 3-5 6-9 10+ Post Respond per week none 1-2 3-5 6-9 10+ Publish per week none 1-2 3-5 1n / N %; Mean SD) Minimum Maximum 14 (16) 31 (45) N 0 100 0 351 % 7.2% 42% 26% 14% 10.7% 150 / 236 49 / 236 81 / 236 12 / 236 12 / 236 64% 21% 34% 5.1% 5% 82% 5.5% 6.4% 5.1% 171 / 236 62 / 236 3 / 236 72% 26% 1.3% 120 / 236 51% 3 / 236 49 / 236 93 / 236 41 / 236 50 / 236 1.3% 21% 39% 17% 21% 49% 8.1% 22% 47% 23% 146 / 236 74 / 236 14 / 236 1 / 236 1 / 236 62% 31% 5.9% 0.4% 0.4% 25% 22% 18% 35% 194 / 236 40 / 236 2 / 236 82% 17% 0.8% 60% 40%

EFA RESULTS Cohesion 0.61 0.66 0.30 0.67 Security Efficiency 0.27 -0.08 0.52 0.09 h2 0.56 0.43 0.55 0.49 My online neighbors provide information I can trust My online neighbors care about our community My online neighbors share resources that keep me safe -0.11 0.09 0.01 -0.04 My online neighbors come together to help in tragedies My online neighbors provide information that helps protect me 0.62 0.32 0.52 0.07 Crimes have been stopped thanks to my online neighborhood group My online neighbors share helpful recommendations I know what is going on in my community thanks to my online neighbors My online neighborhood group is like a community within a community 0.43 -0.05 0.66 0.66 0.05 0.06 -0.08 0.43 0.48 0.58 0.15 0.03 0.57 0.68 0.09 0.04 My online neighbors help others in need My community is safer thanks to my online neighborhood group 0.79 -0.03 -0.05 0.56 0.60 0.29 0.59 0.55 0.30 0.03 -0.08 My online neighbors watch out for each other 0.59 -0.23 -0.19 -0.23 0.14 0.19 -0.08 0.30 0.42 0.17 0.19 -0.12 -0.14 0.24 -0.18 0.66 0.77 0.84 0.62 0.49 0.56 0.40 0.62 0.59 0.69 0.43 0.30 0.42 0.28 Suspicious Activity Trespassers Break-Ins Unsafe Drivers Car Accidents Missing Children to alert neighbors about Pets

CFA Summary Statistics Variable visits p/week minutes p/week nextdoor neighbors facebook onn whatsapp_onn frontporch onn_other onngroups: 1 onngroups:2 onngroups: 3 onngroups: 4+ missing read: none read: 1-3 read: 4-6 read: 7-9 read: 10+ respond:none respond:1-3 respond:4-6 respond:7-9 respond:10+ publishmonth: none publishmonth:1-3 publishmonth: 4-6 publishmonth: 7-9 publishmonth: 10+ M SD Min Max 4.7 31 275 96 146 46 4.8 44 0 0 50 Variable home: own home: rent race: white race: black race: latino race: asian race: other race:missing gen: female/other gen: male N % 63.0% 37.0% 54.1% 18.9% 11.6% 11.3% 1.7% 2.4% 58.2% 41.1% 268 155 229 80 49 48 360 65.0% 23.0% 35.0% 1.0% 1.2% 2.4% 65.0% 26.0% 7.1% 1.1% 0.2% 1.2% 27.0% 26.0% 15.0% 31.0% 48% 40.0% 7.1% 1.7% 3.1% 57.0% 31.0% 8.3% 1.9% 1.4% 5 7 10 276 111 30 10 246 174 5 1 5 education: HS or less 30 7.1% 124 190 29.3% 44.9% education: some college education: ba 113 109 64 132 204 169 30 education: post grad income: under 50k income:50-80k income: 80-110K income: over 110k income: missing marital: married 79 18.7% 27.4% 29.3% 13.0% 29.1% 1.2% 50.0% 116 124 55 123 7 13 241 133 35 5 211 marital: not married 212 50.0% SD M Min Max age 13 19 77 41 8 6

Relation/Variable Estimate SE z-value p Std Cohesion My online neighbors provide information I can trust My online neighbors care about our community 1.00 0.904 0.790 0.729 0.082 11.072 <.0001 My online neighbors share helpful recommendations 1.011 0.069 14.568 <.0001 0.783 My online neighbors come together to help in tragedies 1.078 0.075 14.419 0.713 <.0001 I know what is going on in my community thanks to my online neighbors 0.83 0.083 9.977 0.672 <.0001 My online neighbors do not watch out for each other My online neighborhood group is like a community within a community My online neighbors do not help others in need 0.93 0.091 10.197 0.647 <.0001 1.076 0.084 12.812 0.723 <.0001 0.892 0.09 9.929 0.622 <.0001 Security My online neighbors share resources that keep me safe My online neighbors provide information that helps protect me My community is safer thanks to my online neighborhood group 1.00 86.9 0.039 26.211 0.87 <.0001 0.059 16.692 0.782 <.0001 Crimes have been stopped thanks to my online neighborhood group 0.074 11.375 0.591 <.0001

Efficiency Estimate SE z-value p Std 1.00 0.892 Suspicious Activity 0.034 30.264 0.880 Trespassers <.0001 0.031 32.417 0.898 Break-ins <.0001 0.044 19.051 0.686 Drivers <.0001 0.053 16.278 0.660 Children <.0001 ONNEfficacy~ Cohesion 1 0.957 Security 1.145 0.079 14.409 <.0001 0.959 Covariances Efficiency~ONNEfficacy 0.499 0.061 8.171 <.0001 0.668

CFA RESULTS 2 df p CFI TLI SRMR RMSEA 90% CI RMSEA [0.065- 0.084] Model Name Second Order 329.27 8 116 <.001 94.1 93.0 .048 .75 Average Variance Extracted Cohesion Security Efficiency .502 .590 .639

Discussion ONN Efficacy - Latent Construct Social cohesion and security can be generated and measured online Saliency to ONN users ONN users can not only distinguish between physical and online neighbors, but they also have knowledge that their online neighbors behave in ways that deter neighborhood crime Efficiency Factor Loadings -> Events that threaten the safety of others tap into the factor. Security / Social Cohesion ->Interrelated factors of ONN. Treated as one scale Efficiency Functional aspect of ONN, yet conceptually and empirically distinct Across multiple platforms ONN users may not only believe that these platforms stimulate social cohesion and safety, but crime prevention, deterrence, and safety are principal indicators of ONN efficacy.