이 연구는 여자 대학생들의 UCC 소비와 생산에 대한 진술을 통해 수용자 능동성을 재개념화 하고자 했다. 조사대상인 여자 대학생은 지금까지 미디어 이용과 생산에서 소극적이고 주변적인 존재로 인식되어온 여성과 상대적으로 적극적이었던 젊은 대학생 집단의 교집합이라고 할 수 있다. 이 연구는 이 집단의 수용자가 본질적으로 개방과 참여를 전제로 형성된 UCC 이용에서 보여주는 능동성의 형태를 살펴보고자 하였다. 포커스 집단 인터뷰(FGI)와 개별 심층인터뷰를 실시하여, UCC 수용자 능동성의 하부개념들을 선택성, 관여성, 저항성, 참여성 등 네 개 차원으로 정의하고 분석하였다. 여자 대학생들은 선택성, 저항성, 참여성 등의 차원에서는 비교적 명백한 수용자 능동성을 보여주는 진술을 했으나, 관여성에 대해서는 일관되지 않은 태도를 보였다. 선택성과 참여성 강화의 역기능으로서 수용자들의 지나친 활동인 중독적 소비와 생산이 일어날 수 있음이 포착되기도 했다. 이 연구는 수용자 능동성 개념을 참여성으로까지 확장하여 웹2.0 시대의 수용자 능동성을 재개념화 하고자 했고, 여자 대학생들이 UCC의 기술적, 내용적, 생산적 접근에서 스스로 능동적 주체로 인식하고 있음을 발견했다.

This study attempted to reconceptualize the notion of audience activity in UGC consumption and production by performing the focus group interview(FGI) and the in-depth interview of female college students. As UGC is a communication channel characterized as openness and participation, its users are expected to be more active in multi-aspects of media uses than any other audience members. FGI was performed to ten female college students ages 19∼22, and the in-depth interview was conducted to other ten female college students in the groups under-represented in FGI. The both interviews identified four subconceptions of the UGC audience activity: selectivity, involvement, imperviousness to effects and participation. The results revealed that the UGC audience is active in selectivity, imperviousness to effects, and participation in production. Some symptoms of UGC addiction as a side effect of overactivity in selectivity and participation were found in the in-depth interview. However, there were some ambiguity in involvement according to its definition. This study extended the notion of audience activity by introducing the notion of participation so that we can explain UGC audience behavior. Furthermore, this study found that female college students recognize themselves as the active audience without gender barriers in UGC consumption and production.

This study attempted to reconceptualize the notion of audience activity in UGC consumption and production by performing the focus group interview(FGI) and the in-depth interview of female college students. As UGC is a communication channel characterized as openness and participation, its users are expected to be more active in multi-aspects of media uses than any other audience members. FGI was performed to ten female college students ages 19∼22, and the in-depth interview was conducted to other ten female college students in the groups under-represented in FGI. The both interviews identified four subconceptions of the UGC audience activity: selectivity, involvement, imperviousness to effects and participation. The results revealed that the UGC audience is active in selectivity, imperviousness to effects, and participation in production. Some symptoms of UGC addiction as a side effect of overactivity in selectivity and participation were found in the in-depth interview. However, there were some ambiguity in involvement according to its definition. This study extended the notion of audience activity by introducing the notion of participation so that we can explain UGC audience behavior. Furthermore, this study found that female college students recognize themselves as the active audience without gender barriers in UGC consumption and production.

audience activity, UCC, UGC, selectivity, involvement, imperviousness, participation