As I look back on all I have learned this semester about the psychology of social computing as a legitimate, complex field of study, I am amazed. I'll be the first one to admit that I thought this class was going to be one of those "common sense" classes where as long as you take a look around you once in a while and know what's going on in the world, or in this case, what's going on on the internet, you'd be fine.
However, I found that the more theories I learned, I was not only able to apply those theories to my own life and the life of those around me, but that - surprise - I actually had to study! The great thing was, I didn't really mind. I'm not trying to sound like a total brown-nose, but one of the best things about this class was how current the curriculum was. For that same reason, I feel like the field of study will be growing and changing by leaps and bounds in the future. At the same time, I think some theories will be able to be applied even as technology and research advance. For one thing, a lot of more current theories seem to have roots in the Hyperpersonal Model. The idea that because we have fewer cues, we rely more heavily on those cues and thus attribute stronger characteristics to the person 'across the screen' is, I think, one that will persist even as more current theories develop.
As for what will change in the future, I have already alluded that the types of technology that connect us will most likely evolve. Already, since the publishing of Wallace's book, there have been several changes, such as the text-message craze, and the invention of the video chat. I have a feeling that more "arcane" (if that word can even be used in this context) forms of CMC, such as discussion forums, where time is irreparably asynchronous, will fade out, and more advanced forms of CMC, such as the previously mentioned video chat, will become more popular. With the advances in technology will come different theories because new cues will be introduced, and I think the CFO-perspective will eventually be entirely rejected.
Overall, I think the class covered a wide variety of topics, from social norms to gender differences and internet addiction. One thing I would have liked to have delved a little deeper into was exactly why people feel compelled to spend hours of time on the internet, with nothing to show for it. Perhaps in the future there will be more convincing research on the topic of internet addiction, or whatever it may be deemed. Also, I would have also been interested to learn about research concerning how people are affected by communicating more by CMC, and if a lack of what I deem to be 'real personal connection' caused their overall well-being to deteriorate. My intuition is that the more time people spend away from each other, staring at a screen or with their ear pressed against a phone, the less warmth they are able to derive from the person they are communicating with. I feel like humans are designed to depend on the presence of, and interaction with others on a daily basis.
Thanks for a great semester, I really enjoyed the class. :)
That's all!
Monday, December 3, 2007
Sci Fi for the Next Millenium? (Bonus Blog)
Thirty years ago, the world wide web was a subject of science fiction, some all-knowing being that stored and retrieved endless amounts of information and which connected everyone across the world, perhaps even throughout the galaxy. Today, most of that outrageous fan fiction has come to pass (minus the galaxy part), and yet, we have not yet reached a status quo. Internet content is constantly being added, removed, or edited, resulting in an ever-evolving tool that has a great deal of social utility, but may also cause some public detriment. The internet, in this constant state of upheaval, still has some defining characteristics that will always hold.
No matter how many interactive features the internet adopts (text, voice, facebook walls, videoconferencing, etc.), it will never match the richness of the face-to-face communication experience. This will result in those who feel inept in face to face social situations and those suffering from loneliness and depression using a medium with fewer cues to try to selectively self present themselves. Upon positive feedback from this approach, behavioral conditioning may eventually lead to problematic internet usage. Futhermore, there will always be marketing schemes to hook internet users onto a given site, game, etc. This will further lead to problematic usage that rivals some of the addictions of Halo or Everquest on their gamers.
On the other hand, due to reduced cues, digital deception will no doubt be a permanent factor in the online world. Emails asking you to confirm your bank account pin number or convincing you that a rich widow in Britain has left you as the executor of her estate are rampant, and likely to continue. Furthermore, misrepresentation of age, sex, or location in online chat rooms will continue as a manifestation of curiosity or the human inclination to role-play.
In highlighting the “public good” aspect of the internet, as the web does become more interactive and a hub for people of diverse backgrounds and interests, those with similar issues and interests will no doubt continue to band together in special interest groups or support sites. Support will continue due to the individualizing effect of the net on problem solving. In a crowded room, one is less likely to help an individual (figuring that someone else will do it) than if you were the only other person there. With the internet, you don’t know if that message calling out for help is being overlooked by all other internet users and so you are inclined to provide some help yourself. Furthermore, with the removal of physical barriers to communication, it is easier to find that special someone on the other side of the world who shares your interest in Japanese toilet seats or Pretty Princess Wedding Cakes.
Furthermore, the internet will always have a leviathan of sorts, even if it is composed of all of its users. There must be social norms in place that cannot be violated without public ostracization or punishment. A tool of such great power must be kept in check by someone, if not everyone.
The social networking phenomenon will probably also continue, although perhaps at a less extreme extent. Now that its new, it probably has a lot more appeal than it will in a decade or so, although people will probably go on occasionally for information gathering purposes or to stay in touch as we society globalizes.
One issue that will need to be addressed before social networking can continue, however, is the harvesting and sale of personal information to potential employers or any other interested party. In order to not deter users from networking online, this potential threat must be removed.
One aspect I think this class could further address is the psychology of ethics online. Why do people feel abhorrence for stealing a CD from a store while they feel less responsibility or threat at illegally downloading songs/movies/software? I feel this would be an interesting field to explore in more detail.
No matter how many interactive features the internet adopts (text, voice, facebook walls, videoconferencing, etc.), it will never match the richness of the face-to-face communication experience. This will result in those who feel inept in face to face social situations and those suffering from loneliness and depression using a medium with fewer cues to try to selectively self present themselves. Upon positive feedback from this approach, behavioral conditioning may eventually lead to problematic internet usage. Futhermore, there will always be marketing schemes to hook internet users onto a given site, game, etc. This will further lead to problematic usage that rivals some of the addictions of Halo or Everquest on their gamers.
On the other hand, due to reduced cues, digital deception will no doubt be a permanent factor in the online world. Emails asking you to confirm your bank account pin number or convincing you that a rich widow in Britain has left you as the executor of her estate are rampant, and likely to continue. Furthermore, misrepresentation of age, sex, or location in online chat rooms will continue as a manifestation of curiosity or the human inclination to role-play.
In highlighting the “public good” aspect of the internet, as the web does become more interactive and a hub for people of diverse backgrounds and interests, those with similar issues and interests will no doubt continue to band together in special interest groups or support sites. Support will continue due to the individualizing effect of the net on problem solving. In a crowded room, one is less likely to help an individual (figuring that someone else will do it) than if you were the only other person there. With the internet, you don’t know if that message calling out for help is being overlooked by all other internet users and so you are inclined to provide some help yourself. Furthermore, with the removal of physical barriers to communication, it is easier to find that special someone on the other side of the world who shares your interest in Japanese toilet seats or Pretty Princess Wedding Cakes.
Furthermore, the internet will always have a leviathan of sorts, even if it is composed of all of its users. There must be social norms in place that cannot be violated without public ostracization or punishment. A tool of such great power must be kept in check by someone, if not everyone.
The social networking phenomenon will probably also continue, although perhaps at a less extreme extent. Now that its new, it probably has a lot more appeal than it will in a decade or so, although people will probably go on occasionally for information gathering purposes or to stay in touch as we society globalizes.
One issue that will need to be addressed before social networking can continue, however, is the harvesting and sale of personal information to potential employers or any other interested party. In order to not deter users from networking online, this potential threat must be removed.
One aspect I think this class could further address is the psychology of ethics online. Why do people feel abhorrence for stealing a CD from a store while they feel less responsibility or threat at illegally downloading songs/movies/software? I feel this would be an interesting field to explore in more detail.
Idk my bff crystal ball?
I am not well known for my clairvoyant abilities, but I would be glad to take a few stabs at what the future will hold, and what it will drop. Which theories will survive, with bits and pieces still intact to provide a moderate living for researchers and professors, which will crumble like the life of a World of Warcraft player, and finally, which will cling on to a semblance of validity, bouncing up and down in the academic limbo until some new comer finally puts it out of misery?
While scientific theories are rarely permanent, there are some that tend to last for a while before kicking the bucket. I believe that the Proteus Effect as supported by Yee and Bailenson’s research is yet to approach the bucket; in fact I think it will be a very long time before someone would approach it with any container of a cylindrical nature. As the virtual world grows more complex and become more reflective of reality, people will further adapt to their virtual persona, thus allowing their online personality to mirror closely to their avatar. The new generations of online games, for example, tend to allow more and more customization for the characters, so players would feel even more immersed in the virtual world and take on the expected behavior of their avatars. This naturally leads to the next phenomenon that will undoubted thrive in the future – online addiction. With the number of WoW users approaching the population of Sweden, it would not be absurd to claim that in time the trend of online gaming, will expand to even more Internet users. “Logging in” to a virtual world may become easier and even more accessible, fueling the addiction and people’s need for escape to a fantasy world, eventually abandoning their grim reality:
The Hyperpersonal Model, however, will not fare as well. As online interaction become more open and advanced, exchange done through CMC may very well reach the same intimacy offered by FtF. Even now we can communicate online using video conferencing, which greatly increases the number of cues offered through CMC. It is not out of the line to presume that future online communications will be so similar to face to face that people will no longer form different breadth/depth of impression in different media. Likewise, the Uncertainty Reduction Theory will no longer be relevant as future CMC interaction, with more available cues and detail, will not leave much uncertainty in the minds of the users. When the users finally leave virtuality, the modality switch won’t be apparent and thus there will not be an increase in attraction. On the other hand Impression Management Model (by O’Sullivan) will likely retain some usefulness for a period of time (stay in limbo), because it would take a long time before CMC can become as transparent as FtF, so people will still try to regulate their behavior to form specific impressions, however limited the control may be.
Some new issues and technologies that need to be addressed are: online addiction (as mentioned previously), privacy, and social networks. Privacy will be a significant concern. As more information becomes available online, people start to lose the veil of anonymity and may be threatened by all types of identity theft. Social networks will experience a large growth as a result of ubiquitous internet access and the ease of online interaction, but also face the problem of privacy loss due to the inherent lack of security in a virtual network (which may or may not be improved in the future).
While I personally thought that COMM 245 was very comprehensive and covered an interesting and wide array of subjects, I wish that we could have discussed more on the contemporarily political issues circling the virtual environment, for example, the controversy regarding government agencies demanding information from internet service providers and the fight over the legality of P2P programs and online gambling websites.
Predicting the Future (Bonus Assignment)
In the past ten years, the internet has already affected so many business models, relationships, and the flow of information. With so much multitasking and other behaviors affected by the internet, it seems that the internet will continue to influence our behaviors, self-image, and decision-making. COMM 245 has influenced the way I analyze and interpret how we manage ourselves online, how social networking affects us, and how the psychological spaces and their attributes have affected social computing.
There are two major theories that I believe will not change too much as the internet progresses (the impression management model and the hyperpersonal model). I would argue that some theories will not hold water in the future (especially the cues filtered out theory). I think we will continue to choose whether or not we want to mediate our communication based on locus and valence (O’Sullivan). I also think most people will continue to take active steps to manage their own image and engage in selective self-presentation and put their “best foot forward.” On the other hand, we will definitely not have poor, underdeveloped impressions of others just because there are reduced social context cues in a CMC environment (CFO perspective).
One of the major issues that will need to be addressed is the issue of weighing selective self-presentation with portraying an accurate version of oneself. Many of us maintain Facebook and other online profiles, but do not update them too regularly or do not provide enough detail to make them accurate. As more employers do online research about their potential hires, it will become more and more important in the future that one be portrayed of course in the best light, but weighing that portrayal with accurate facts.
I have enjoyed COMM 245, as it is one of the most pertinent and practical classes for someone with my interests in media, technology, and the internet. As both a user and a scholar of the Internet and internet-related theories, I can now analyze internet usage from both perspectives and form more informed positions. My only suggestion for COMM 245 in the future is to make it even more applied and practical by focusing on how we can effect change in our online behaviors and how we can understand the effects of how ecommerce is now a social process.
Crystal Ball Blog
The Internet has changed the world in many ways. The fact that I can sit in my room in Ithaca, New York and be connected to billions of users all across the globe is mind boggling. Online shopping, games, chatting, downloading music and movies, blogs, and social networking sites are just a few of the endless options that the Internet has to offer. Psychology of Social Computing has been one of the most interesting classes I’ve taken at Cornell thus far because the theories and lessons apply directly to things going on in my life. It is important to have classes like this that change with the times. Many of the ideas that were presented this semester were not applicable ten years ago.
Three theories that stand out in my mind from this semester are selective self-presentation, SIP, and cues filtered out. I think that the first two theories will always be a part of the Internet. Humans will not outgrow the tendency to selectively present themselves because most of the time there is a certain way we want others to see us. As far as SIP is concerned, we have learned this semester that over time you will be able to get to know someone through CMC, it just takes longer. Humans will continue to adapt to others over time. Cues-filtered-out theory has been disproved again and again throughout the semester. We have learned that you can develop relationships through online communication and it may not always be negative. Even though this theory doesn’t hold true, it is important to learn about it so that we can see how the internet and our beliefs about it have developed.
One aspect of the Internet that seems to be up and coming is video chat. It would be interesting to see what theories apply to this since this method of communication involves visuals. Also, do people prefer talking to strangers through video chat or would they rather talk on IM and keep that sense of anonymity? Often I prefer talking on instant messenger so that I don’t have to worry about what I’m wearing or what my hair looks like. This would be an interesting topic to research.
Although the semester is over, I know that I will continue to use the principles and theories learned in Comm 245. I, of course, will continue to use the Internet and will be able to apply these ideas to other communication classes. Thanks for a great semester; I’ll miss the brown blog!
Three theories that stand out in my mind from this semester are selective self-presentation, SIP, and cues filtered out. I think that the first two theories will always be a part of the Internet. Humans will not outgrow the tendency to selectively present themselves because most of the time there is a certain way we want others to see us. As far as SIP is concerned, we have learned this semester that over time you will be able to get to know someone through CMC, it just takes longer. Humans will continue to adapt to others over time. Cues-filtered-out theory has been disproved again and again throughout the semester. We have learned that you can develop relationships through online communication and it may not always be negative. Even though this theory doesn’t hold true, it is important to learn about it so that we can see how the internet and our beliefs about it have developed.
One aspect of the Internet that seems to be up and coming is video chat. It would be interesting to see what theories apply to this since this method of communication involves visuals. Also, do people prefer talking to strangers through video chat or would they rather talk on IM and keep that sense of anonymity? Often I prefer talking on instant messenger so that I don’t have to worry about what I’m wearing or what my hair looks like. This would be an interesting topic to research.
Although the semester is over, I know that I will continue to use the principles and theories learned in Comm 245. I, of course, will continue to use the Internet and will be able to apply these ideas to other communication classes. Thanks for a great semester; I’ll miss the brown blog!
What the Future Holds (Bonus Blog)
I think many of the theories we have studied this semester will hold in the future, especially those of selective self-presentation. As the internet grows and becomes more complex it is likely that it will be easier for people to deceive other online. However, the possibility also arises that is will become easier to detect online deception. I think other issues that will need to be addressed will arise from social networking sites such as Facebook and the impact they are going to have on people’s future opportunities because of the selective self-presentation and impression formation opportunities they provide. Although we don’t know what Mark Zuckerberg has in store for Facebook’s future, it is likely that that the network will become more complex. The employers of my generation have already found ways to do background checks on interviewees and it is inevitable that what people have in their Facebook profiles now might come back to haunt them.
Although not directly studied in COMM 245, I think a major issue that will need to be addressed in the future is the impact of the internet on the television industry. Google has grown to be the one of the most powerful Fortune 500 companies in America within a mere ten years of being founded. Perhaps the company’s biggest accomplishment is revolutionizing one of the driving forces of the entire media industry—advertising. By only displaying ads that are relevant to customers’ search topics Google has raised billions of dollars in advertising revenue and has become more effective at advertising than traditional forms of media, especially television. It will be interesting to see how the television industry will deal with the ever-growing force of the internet, that is, if it is able to survive at all.
A subject I have always been fascinated with that I think COMM 245 should cover is intellectual property on the internet. Most people would never even consider stealing something, but for some reason when it comes to movies, music, etc. on the internet, peoples’ usual moral rules just don’t hold up. The internet makes music seem as free as air and the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) has begun to fine people up to $250,000 for illegal downloading. Our own campus has even taken measures to address this issue with the introduction of Ruckus network back in October, which allows Cornell students to legally download music. I think COMM 245 should definitely explore the phenomenon of illegal downloads and what makes people push their ethical standards aside to break the law.
As a Comm. Major I have been studying the effect of the internet for years. COMM 245 has not only enhanced my previous knowledge, but has also opened my eyes to a lot of aspects of the internet I had never even considered. In addition to the possibilities the future of the internet holds, it is equally worthy to contemplate what lessons COMM 245 will teach in thirty years from now!
Although not directly studied in COMM 245, I think a major issue that will need to be addressed in the future is the impact of the internet on the television industry. Google has grown to be the one of the most powerful Fortune 500 companies in America within a mere ten years of being founded. Perhaps the company’s biggest accomplishment is revolutionizing one of the driving forces of the entire media industry—advertising. By only displaying ads that are relevant to customers’ search topics Google has raised billions of dollars in advertising revenue and has become more effective at advertising than traditional forms of media, especially television. It will be interesting to see how the television industry will deal with the ever-growing force of the internet, that is, if it is able to survive at all.
A subject I have always been fascinated with that I think COMM 245 should cover is intellectual property on the internet. Most people would never even consider stealing something, but for some reason when it comes to movies, music, etc. on the internet, peoples’ usual moral rules just don’t hold up. The internet makes music seem as free as air and the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) has begun to fine people up to $250,000 for illegal downloading. Our own campus has even taken measures to address this issue with the introduction of Ruckus network back in October, which allows Cornell students to legally download music. I think COMM 245 should definitely explore the phenomenon of illegal downloads and what makes people push their ethical standards aside to break the law.
As a Comm. Major I have been studying the effect of the internet for years. COMM 245 has not only enhanced my previous knowledge, but has also opened my eyes to a lot of aspects of the internet I had never even considered. In addition to the possibilities the future of the internet holds, it is equally worthy to contemplate what lessons COMM 245 will teach in thirty years from now!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
11: Meeting Someone Online
When I was looking for examples of online relationships moving to FTF, I asked one of my friends (J) if he knew of any examples. As it turns out, he met his current girlfriend (A) online and eventually moved on to FTF, so I am going to use him as an example. The relationship eventually started when J met A on Myspace and began to talk to her on AIM. The relationship stayed strictly online for about a month, and they mostly talked about standard things like movies, music, books, likes and dislikes, etc. Eventually they met FTF and started going out.
As it turns out, my friend’s relationship supports a few theories we have learned about in this class. The first is the Social Information Processing (SIP) theory. This theory explains that although initial interactions online might seem cold at first, given enough time they will warm up and catch up in warmth to near those of FTF interactions. When I talked with J about him talking with A, he said that they did not even have a ton in common. They kept talking/flirting on AIM, however, and once they felt pretty familiar with each other they decided to meet FTF. J told me that the comfort they had learned to feel with each other in the online environment translated pretty well into the real world.
A similar theory in this situation would be the Uncertainty Reduction Theory (URT). This states that the more information is shared between two people in CMC would lead to greater liking and intimacy. So, like I said, J and A spent a long time talking to each other and learning more and more about each other before they ever met FTF. URT would tell us that this would lead to increased liking and attraction. This makes sense, because when meeting someone FTF for the first time, it would make anyone feel more comfortable knowing more about the other person than less. Also, even though J and A did not share the same views and tastes on every subject, they at least knew what the other felt. URT does not specify that the information shared between two people has to necessarily coincide with both persons’ views, only that they have to share the information in general. Like the name of the theory implies, it is the reduced uncertainty of the interaction that helps, not the specifics of the information.
My friends experience leaving virtuality does not support the hyperpersonal model, though. The hyperpersonal model would say that when communicating in a CMC environment people’s perceptions of others might become exaggerated and blown out of proportion. If this were the case, when people end up meeting each other FTF, they would probably feel some disappointment when reality ends up different than their perceptions.
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