Computer-Mediated Communication

1. Computer-Mediated Communication Social Presentation and Perception

2. Forums are go! • http://courses.ischool.berkeley.edu/i216/f10/forums/ Computer-Mediated Communication

3. Wiki is ready for you to feed it! • Post your name and at least one or two ideas for a final project– does not have to be fully formed…just express your interest(s). • Post your name under someone else’s idea if you share a similar interest and would like to chat about forming a group. • All groups will ultimately need a single team leader. It is important at this stage to express if you have an interest in that role. Computer-Mediated Communication

4. A Brief Introduction to Symbolic Interaction “The character of interaction as it takes place between human beings” Herbert Blumer (1900-1987) developed much of the sociological approach to SI Long history of development in both philosophy and sociology Computer-Mediated Communication

5. Core Features of SI Symbols… Change… Computer-Mediated Communication

6. Core Features of SI Interaction… Empirical… However: note the focus on the micro-level Computer-Mediated Communication

7. Goffman’s Approach and Focus How individuals create and maintain their ‘social self’ Dramaturgical Approach: A metaphor Computer-Mediated Communication

8. Computer-Mediated Communication

9. Frontstage and Backstage Computer-Mediated Communication

10. Expressions Given and Given Off Goffman’s discusses two types of expressions: ‘given’ (intentional) ‘given off’ (unintentional) Computer-Mediated Communication

11. Other Key Concepts in Goffman’s Work “Idealization” “Definition of the Situation” “Impression Management” Computer-Mediated Communication

12. Meaning through Contradiction? • When individuals act in a way that is inconsistent with expected behavior, several things happen (for the ‘performer’ and the ‘audience’). • In many ways, the study of social “roles” allows us to understand such expectations as they are continually interpreted. Computer-Mediated Communication

13. Social Order through Interaction? Goffman argues that social order can be an outcome of our symbolic interactions… Examples of how this might occur in CMC situations? Computer-Mediated Communication

14. Signaling • Assessment signals • Handicap (costly) signals • Index signals • Conventional signals • How do people send and receive them? • At a bar, on IM, in online dating? • Cost of signaling, cost of assessing Computer-Mediated Communication

15. Costs and benefits for sender • Costs • Production • Efficacy costs • Strategic costs • Risk • Punishment • Benefits • Signaling: Changing observer’s beliefs • Functional: Hedonic and utilitarian Computer-Mediated Communication

16. Costs and benefits for receiver • Costs • Assessment • Being deceived by a dishonest signal • Benefits • Signaling: Learning about the sender • Functional: Again, hedonic and utilitarian Computer-Mediated Communication

17. What are the important differences between signaling online and offline? Computer-Mediated Communication

18. What is “deception”? How can we resolve the tension between “playful” and “literal” use of CMC? Computer-Mediated Communication

19. Computer-Mediated Communication

20. How would you conceptualize Goffman’s idea of “setting” in CMC interactions? Computer-Mediated Communication

21. “ The architects of a virtual space — from the software designers to the site administrators — shape the community in a more profound way than do their real-world counterpart. People eat, sleep, and work in buildings; the buildings affect how happily they do these things. But the buildings do not completely control their perception of the world. In the electronic domain, the design of the environment is everything. ” Computer-Mediated Communication

22. Just for fun • Passport to the Pub: A guide to British pub etiquette • http://www.sirc.org/publik/pub.html • Guide to Flirting • http://www.sirc.org/publik/flirt.html Both from Social Issues Research Centre. Computer-Mediated Communication