Title Page
ABSTRACT
Contents
CHAPTER 1. Introduction 11
CHAPTER 2. Literature Review 16
2.1. Dramaturgical Analysis (DA) Theory and Media Situation Theory 16
2.1.1. Theoretical Background 16
2.1.2. Self-Presentation and Impression Management 21
2.2. Research on Social Media Use 24
2.2.1. WeChat Chat and Moments 24
2.2.2. Studies Related to "Performance" on Social Media 27
2.2.3. Context Collapse and Social Media Fatigue 31
2.2.4. Online and Offline "Performance" 34
2.2.5. WeChat Usage and Parent-Child Relationships 37
2.2.6. Research on Media Use by International Students 42
2.2.7. Comparative Research on Social Media Use 43
CHAPTER 3. Research Questions and Method 48
3.1. Research Questions 48
3.2. Research Method 49
3.3. Grounded Theory-Based Coding Analysis 53
3.3.1. Open Coding 53
3.3.2. Axial Coding 54
3.3.3. Selective Coding 55
CHAPTER 4. Results 58
4.1. Stage of "Performance" - Situation Reconstruction of Long-Distance Family Communication 58
4.2. Motivation for "Performance" 61
4.2.1. Mitigating Parent-Child Conflicts 61
4.2.2. Presenting an Ideal Self-Image 64
4.3. The Influencing Factors of "Performance" 65
4.3.1. Individual Level 65
4.3.2. Platform Level 68
4.3.3. Offline and Online "Performance": Connecting and Polarizing 75
4.4. "Performance" Strategies: Self-Presentation Under Situational Control 78
4.4.1. Idealized Expression: "Sharing joy but concealing worries" 78
4.4.2. Audience Isolation and User Migration 81
4.5. WeChat Usage under Situation Reconstruction 84
4.5.1. Status of Chatting: Reversal of "Emphasis on Giving and Diminishment of Giving off" 84
4.5.2. Moments Usage under "performance" 87
4.6. Critical Analysis of "Performance" 90
4.6.1. Media Practice in Interpersonal Relations 90
4.6.2. Discipline in Self-Presentation 94
CHAPTER 5. Conclusion and Discussion 96
REFERENCES 104
APPENDIX: Interview outline 114
Table 1. Basic information of the interviewee 51
Table 2. Grounded Theory Analysis 56
Figure 1. "Performance" model 90