Constructing Social Systems through Computer-Mediated Communication

The question whether computer-mediated communication can support the formation of genuine social systems is addressed in this paper. Our hypothesis, that technology creates new forms of social systems beyond real-life milieus, includes the idea that the technology itself may influence how social binding emerges within on-line environments. In real-life communities, a precondition for social coherence is the existence of social conventions. By observing interaction in virtual environments, we found the use of a range of social conventions. These results were analyzed to determine how the use and emergence of conventions might be influenced by the technology. One factor contributing to the coherence of on-line social systems, but not the only one, appears to be the degree of social presence mediated by the technology. We suggest that social systems can emerge by computer-mediated communication and are shaped by the media of the specific environment

See you on Facebook: the effect of social networking on human interaction

This paper proposes an evolutionary framework to explore the dynamics of social interaction in an environment characterized by online networking and increasing pressure on time. The model shows how time pressure encourages the choice to develop social interactions also through online networking instead of relying exclusively on face to face encounters. Our findings suggest that the joint influence exerted by the reduction in leisure time and the new opportunities of participation offered by web-mediated communication may progressively lead a growing share of the population to adopt networking sites as an indispensable environment for the development of interpersonal relationships.internet, computer-mediated communication, social networking, online networks, Facebook, human interaction, social capital

Social attraction in video-mediated communication:The role of nonverbal affiliative behavior

The first aim of this study was to analyze video-mediated communication (VMC), in comparison to face-to-face (FTF) communication, and the effect it has on how communicators express nonverbal affiliative behaviors relevant for social attraction. Second, this study aimed to discover whether these nonverbal expressions relate to communicators’ social attraction. An experiment with 93 cross-sex dyads was conducted, with a get-acquainted exercise in a VMC or a FTF condition. Our findings revealed that communicators in VMC smiled more and spoke louder. In addition, VMC interactants displayed less facial touching than FTF interactants. Finally, more gaze aversion and a higher speech rate were found to influence social attraction. These findings have implications for research on cue-rich computer-mediated communication (CMC) and the way in which communicators nonverbally express themselves in comparison to copresent FTF communication. Additionally, this study has implications for social information processing theory which may be extended to include cue-rich forms of CMC

Hands on - hands off: on hitting your thumb with a virtual hammer

In a wired world even the most physically embodied craft skills are affected by computer facilitated communication. To consider how different sorts of space – both real and virtual – influence the learning of craft skills this paper presents three types of space – the ‘real’ space of a jewellery workshop, an online ‘wiki’ space for learning how to make a folding knife mediated by face to face interaction and an online discussion group about French Horn making. Some features common to the learning of any craft skill are discussed as well as some current ideas about the influence of networked communication on the way people relate to each other. Conclusions are drawn about the relationships between different types of learner, different types of skill and different types of learning space which demonstrate that while there may be no substitute for face to face contact in learning the most embodied craft skills, even in real-world settings a significant proportion of learning depends on social interaction which may be reproduced online. Keywords: Craft learning; Apprenticeship; Communities of Practice; Online Networks</p

Speaking Ill of the Dead: Anonymity and Communication About Suicide on MyDeathSpace.com

From birth to death, many individuals chronicle their lives online through blogs, pictures, games, Web sites, and social networks. Online spaces, created by the living about the dead, provide a glimpse into often invisible or silent grieving practices. To investigate the role computer-mediated communication (CMC) plays in influencing communication surrounding the often private and taboo topic of suicide, we analyzed the comments sections of MyDeathSpace.com. Our results suggest both a breaking down of social taboos (speaking ill of the dead) and a reaffirming of strict social norms (enforcing a narrow range of acceptable presentation of identity and purpose in life), highlighting how anonymity as a characteristic of CMC can influence our online communication about death

Class Participation in Online Learning Environments - The Role of the Psychological Contract in Determining Use of Computer Mediated Communication

Online educational offerings are becoming increasingly commonplace. At the same time, relatively little is understood about the factors contributing to students’ participation in computer-mediated communication (CMC) in such environments, which ultimately affects student satisfaction with the online learning experience. In this paper, I propose a model that examines the relationship between an individual’s psychological contract and CMC contributions. Individual differences and course structure are proposed to influence the development of the psychological contract. Felt social presence is proposed to mediate the relationship between the psychological contract and CMC contributions, while social influence moderates the relationship. Implications for research and practice arising from the theoretical model are also discussed

ENGLISH INTERFERENCE IN BAHASA INDONESIA: A PHONOLOGY-TO-ORTHOGRAPHY CASE IN INSTAGRAM CAPTION

In January 2019, We Are Social Institutes has claimed that 150 million of Indonesian people use social media actively and excessively. This also proves that computer-mediated-communication (CMC) become an alternative way to interact in nowadays society. Instagram, as one of social media users’ favorite, shows a unique language phenomenon upon its ‘caption’. The language used by the users indicates the English interference toward Bahasa Indonesia has manifested from phonologically to orthographically since social media communication transforms the face-to-face interaction into written form. Based on the study in one of Instagram gossip account named @Lambe_Turah, it can be seen that the trend of inserting English influence in Instagram caption represented in some phonological rules, they are omission, assimilation, substitution, and epenthesis

Offline Social Relationships and Online Cancer Communication: Effects of Social and Family Support on Online Social Network Building

This study investigates how social support and family relationship perceptions influence breast cancer patients’ online communication networks in a computer-mediated social support (CMSS) group. To examine social interactions in the CMSS group, we identified two types of online social networks: open and targeted communication networks. The open communication network reflects group communication behaviors (i.e., one-to-many or “broadcast” communication) in which the intended audience is not specified; in contrast, the targeted communication network reflects interpersonal discourses (i.e., one-to-one or directed communication) in which the audience for the message is specified. The communication networks were constructed by tracking CMSS group usage data of 237 breast cancer patients who participated in one of two National Cancer Institute-funded randomized clinical trials. Eligible subjects were within 2 months of a diagnosis of primary breast cancer or recurrence at the time of recruitment. Findings reveal that breast cancer patients who perceived less availability of offline social support had a larger social network size in the open communication network. In contrast, those who perceived less family cohesion had a larger targeted communication network in the CMSS group, meaning they were inclined to use the CMSS group for developing interpersonal relationships