Bowker, Natilene Irain. "Understanding online communities through multiple methodologies combined under a postmodern research endeavour." Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research. Vol. 2. No. 1. 2001.

This study examines identity exploration within online chatrooms, employing a postmodern methodological approach that blends positivist and interpretivist epistemologies. Through a comprehensive investigation involving a quantitative survey of over 400 chatroom operators, thematic analysis of interviews with five experienced chatroom users, and an ethnography, the research reveals the complex dynamics of identity exploration in online spaces. Findings indicate gender's significant role in shaping the extent of identity exploration, while also uncovering the importance of other factors beyond gender, such as the influence of culturally stereotyped behaviors and the potential for identity alteration for protection or experimentation. The study emphasizes the value of integrating multiple research approaches to capture the nuanced and situated knowledge of both researchers and participants, challenging the limitations of singular, unified frameworks.