AI 中文总结
研究分析四个Reddit社区350万个线程，发现线程持续时间由简短反应和扩展讨论两种模式混合，其流行程度和持续时间受社会因素影响，建立了在线讨论动态统计模型，揭示对话时间组织对相关因素的可预测反应。
AI 中文摘要
在线讨论的持续时间差异很大：有些在几分钟内就消失了，而有些则持续数天。我们分析了来自四个Reddit社区的350万个线程，以揭示控制对话持续时间的统计模式。我们发现线程持续时间遵循两种不同模式的混合——简短反应和扩展讨论——在所有社区中大致以相等的比例共存。广泛假设的幂律分布对数据的描述很差。每种模式的流行程度和持续时间系统地取决于社会因素：更多参与者会延长两种类型的讨论，对立观点之间的分歧会延长长时间对话，看似情绪中立的线程实际上是最具冲突性的——在对立派别之间保持平衡，其辩论维持了长时间的参与。这些结构模式在七年内保持稳定。我们的研究结果建立了一个强大的在线讨论动态统计模型，并表明对话的时间组织对参与、情绪和冲突做出可预测的反应。
英文摘要
Online discussions vary dramatically in their duration: some fade within minutes, while others persist for days. We analyze 3.5 million threads from four Reddit communities to uncover the statistical patterns governing how long conversations last. We find that thread duration follow a mixture of two distinct regimes -- brief reactions and extended discussions -- coexisting in roughly equal proportions across all communities. The widely-assumed power-law distribution provides a poor description of the data. The prevalence and duration of each regime depend systematically on social factors: more participants lengthen both types of discussion, disagreement between opposing viewpoints extends long conversations, and threads that appear emotionally neutral are in fact the most conflictual -- balanced between opposing factions whose debate sustains prolonged engagement. These structural patterns remain stable over seven years. Our findings establish a robust statistical model for online discussion dynamics and demonstrate that the temporal organization of conversations responds predictably to participation, sentiment, and conflict.
Comments24 pages, 8 figures
