IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE VIA BLOGS AND DEVELOPMENT OF A VIRTUAL SOCIAL IDENTITY

This study explores the link between blog use and global quality of life satisfaction as subjective well-being. This study posits that blogging enhances social interactions between online users, which will develop their own virtual social iden- tity. It is also proposed that the development of a virtual social identity will motivate people to expand their online social networks which will in turn result in their global life satisfaction. A survey was conducted involving 173 subjects. We found that social interaction through the features of the blog increases all three different aspects of virtual social identity, including cognitive, affective, and evaluative social identity. The enjoyment of the blog was another significant predictor of these three aspects of virtual social identity. It was found that all the three aspects of virtual social identity motivated bloggers to expand their online social networks vigorously. Finally, both cognitive social identity and intention to expand the social network turned out to be significant factors that affect users' global life satisfaction.