Revisited: Communication Media Use in the Grandparent/Grandchild Relationship

This study extends and replicates some of Harwood’s (2000) earlier research investigating media use in interactions between grandparents and grandchildren. More specifically, this research extends Harwood’s work by adding the technologies of the cell phone, email, and instant messenger to the media he investigated (face-to-face, written documents, and telephone). Such a study allows finding out whether the availability of new technologies has any effect on the grandparent/grandchild relationship. Sixty-six dyads (N = 132) of grandchildren and grandparents participated in the study, completing a questionnaire on basic demographics, media use, and relational quality. Results show usage divides between grandchildren and grandparents, as well as within the grandparent group. The cell phone and face-to-face interaction are used most frequently in the grandparent/grandchild relationship. Technologies such as email or instant messenger are not used much even across the geographic distance they were designed to overcome. Follow up tests to a significant ANOVA did not show significant results for medium type chosen based on who initiates contact. Face-to-face remains the strongest predictor of quality inter-generational relationships, followed by use of the cell phone, the landline phone, and email (in that order). Findings are discussed in light of both media richness theory and the social influence model

Politeness accommodation in electronic mail

Email has become a common form of interaction between both individuals and groups in the online environment. Based on Buzzanell et al.'s (1996) n=121). Results indicated that subjects accommodated to verbal markers in the body of a message, and to greetings. Responses to those email messages that included either verbal politeness cues or structural politeness cues were significantly more polite than responses to those email messages that did not include such cues. This research provides a foundation for explaining issues of relationship forming, communication accommodation in an electronic environment, and discourse analysis in online interaction. Over the course of history, modes of communication have changed drastically. Before widespread literacy, society depended on oral history. With the emergence of new technologies such as the printing press, the telegraph, or the radio that enabled newspapers, the distribution of information sped up considerably. In the last few decades, a rapid diffusion of electronic media has led to a significant field of study: computer-mediated commtinication (CMC). CMC "refers to person-to-person communication . , , over computer networks&quot

Evaluating course feedback system- 1 Evaluating a Wireless Course Feedback System: The Role of Demographics, Expertise, Fluency, Competency, and Usage

support of this project by the Office of the Vice President fo

References and Bibliography: Citing the Internet

Over the past six years scholars have found the Internet to be a source of quick information. While the quality of information on the Internet may be questionable, nonetheless, sources of online studies are beginning to merge with library-based research. This article discusses the history of the Internet; concerns of using the Internet as a source, the importance of citing sources and how to cite electronic sources