Abstract

The unprecedented technological development in the communication field has brought about major changes in understanding ourselves and others. The former reference points have been reconfigured by the impact of the virtual space as a catalyst factor of interaction and communication. These things considered, our main interest is focused on the accommodation factors implied by the communication between the virtual communities’ members as they seek to emphasize or minimize the social differences between themselves and the others, starting with the online identitary level. The theoretical framework is provided by Howard Giles’ Communication Accommodation Theory which discusses the contexts of potentiating convergence between people through the adjusting of several relevant elements. In order to test this theoretical model in the virtual environment, the research will concentrate on the content analysis of the online identities assumed by the members of the Future of Europe sub-forum.