Abstract
This manuscript is one of many in a special issue of the Journal of Applied Communication Research on "Communication and Distance," Volume 38, No. 1.
This study examines the constitution and maintenance of supportive communication at a distance by analyzing an episode of conflict in an online cancer support community. Reconstruction of the flaming and hostile communication at the conflict's surface revealed a deeper struggle among community members about how interaction generates supportive communication. Findings indicate that, unlike conventionally understood sources of online conflict, the conflict in this context develops over (a) the right to criticize, (b) the role of venting, and (c) the value of disagreement in communicating support.