Groups Chapter 9 Shedletsky & Aitken Human Communication on the Internet

Groups and the Internet n By a group, Communication scholars mean 3 to 30 people; n On the Internet, a group can mean connecting large numbers of people, hundreds or thousands or more; n The Internet seems to be accomplishing McLuhan’s idea of a global village, community;

Functions of Internet Groups n Internet groups connect people who have needed information or resources; n Internet groups empower the self; through information and self expression; n Internet groups improve the quality of life (of course, with exceptions);

What Goes On In Groups n Story-telling in groups; –The Internet is a story-telling medium –People share their real and imaginary stories online –People in electronic discussion groups often have a common bond of some kind, a shared interest in a subject

Electronic Discussion Groups and Identity n Most lists (listservs) require a name attached to the user; n Some groups allow the name ‘anonymous’; n Many people believe they are anonymous this way;

Electronic Discussion Groups and Identity n In communication, knowing the identity of your interlocutor is essential for understanding and evaluating interaction; n Yet in the disembodied world of virtual reality, identity is ambiguous; n Internet discussion groups allow individuals to play with identity; n Online, identity is a cognitive creation--we create our identity and we imagine the other’s identity;

Developing Community through Groups n Many online discussion groups provide members with a sense of support, belonging, and connection; n Through online interaction, people communicate with each other as they establish community; n By community we mean the ability of people to come together, to have a sense of sharing and commonality, to feel a sense of oneness;

Characteristics of Online Groups n “Real” vs. “Virtual”: Online groups have a reality people sometimes fail to achieve face-to-face; n Online groups tend to contain much self disclosure or telling of personal information; n Successful participation can enhance self-acceptance and skills for other communication contexts;

Characteristics of Online Group Discussion n Motivations for online discussion align closely with those of interpersonal communication: –Affection –Control –Escape –Inclusion –Pleasure –Relaxation

Behaviors of Users of Online Discussion n Self-absorption; n Unique Language; n Ignoring; n Lurking; n Conversation lulls; n Participation in multiple lists; n Experimentation with identity; n Conflict; n Lack of nonverbals

Behaviors of Users of Online Discussion n Unique Language; –Some groups develop their own language conventions –The unique language may involve capitalization, combining words, abbreviations, and other devices

Behaviors of Users of Online Discussion n Accuracy of Information; –For every site with valid scientific information, you can find others with false informatiion; –Some people seeking a cure for a medical problem turn to the Internet instead of the medical community;

Talking to Others n Of special interest is the ways in which talking to others online differs from talking face-to-face; n In both contexts, online and face-to- face, talk and social variables influence one another; n But the differences in the two contexts do seem to influence talk;

Talking to Others n For instance, in online talk people may care less about what the moderator thinks of them and hence are more willing to share potentially embarrassing information; n Online we can tailor talk to the individual in a group; n We may be inclined to react to messages without knowing or processing who sent them: deindividuation;

Talking to Others n Online, we do not have the nonverbals to guide us with feedback; n Online, we do not have the built in connection between a body and identity and talk; n Online, we do not (typically) hear our interlocutor’s voice; n Online, we are likely to use our imaginations more intensely than in face-to-face groups;