Community Unconscious on the Internet

Abstract

This article examines the group dynamics in a discussion list on the Internet, focusing on the special psychological mechanisms that appear. A discussion list is seen to resemble a large group, and the processes characteristic of the large group are relevant to its study. The transference of the list members towards the moderator and the list as a whole is examined together with the countertransference of the moderator. Some of the dynamics that appear on the list deviate from those that usually appear in a large group. Exploring the unconscious of a discussion list on the Internet helps in under-standing the common hidden norms and values of organizations and communities, especially those of the community of mental health professionals.