Alone Together and SIPT
Joseph Walther’s Social Information Processing theory (SIPT) suggests that computer-mediated communication (CMC) is just as effective as Face-to-face(FTF) communication but that CMC takes about twice as long. Walther employs the notion of drinking a cup of coffee; whether you sip or you gulp you still get the same amount of coffee.
Sherry Turkle suggests in Alone Together that people who are “tethered” feel that FTF communication, or even synchronous (Specifically telephone calls) take far too long to use. She argues that the “tethered” want to communicate only in ways that allow only partial attention.
I put a lot of credence into SIPT and Turkle’s idea that CMC causes people spend less time is troubling to me. I’m not discrediting Turkle’s work because she is not speaking in terms of communication richness, but in terms of frequency and time spent. For my money, when I want to get something done fast I send an email or a make a phone call. 140 characters or less? In most cases-- I’ll pass.
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Assigning identity through media:
Turkle brings up a case in which a 16 year old girl suggests that when she feels bad she’ll “pull up” her “friend...uh..phone” (175). Turkle makes a point of pointing out that she assigns identity to her friends through the phone. The notion of having multiple identities--one in every medium?--is fascinating. Are you the same person on TXT MSG’s as you are FTF or on Facebook.
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Rabbit Hole
At another junction Turkle references the progression of treatment from womens sexual repression to tranquilizers and now to drugs that treat symptoms of isolation.
I’ve noticed that several of my students are doing work on the effect of technology in communication and also on the notion of solitude. Does this suggest that they feel that they do not get enough “alone” time?
Mark Powell, the author of Blood Kin suggested to me that younger people (and older people too) are often in-able to write because they cannot suffer to be alone with their thoughts. He notes that writing is not a knee-jerk response nor does it involve regurgitation, but that it requires self reflection. Does communicating with others require reflection?
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Performing Self
Another interesting section deals with the performance of self. Turkle states that “whenever one has time to write, edit and delete, there is room for performance.” (180) This causes me to wonder if we have a self that is performative or if we have multiple selves? AND are our multiple selves multiply-mediated.
Internet communication immediately feels “scarier” when you turn the camera and the microphone on. The hyper-personal qualities of messaging change with the medium. So, in a way our identity changes.
What happens on the Internet stays on the Internet.
Often is more casual relationships it seems that one is “creepy” or a “stalker” if they follow your facebook profile too closely. But, you do it too. The numbers suggest that many people do it. But, perhaps no one wants to admit it. While we are all living (editing) our vital lives we are also creating a composed self. But, it seems that often what happens online is not socially transferable to “real life”.
The Internet brings more things into the public than in times past. Much of the moratorium is now public. Behaviors that are often seen as forgivable in young people that should happen and be forgotten are now preserved forever and all time on the Internet.
Final Thoughts
I’m troubled at the frequency of examples in this book of children feeling ignored by their parents. This is the intersection of technology and life that troubles me. For me, family is quite important. But, is our incessant need to be plugged in causing us to not relate to those most dear to us? I hope not. I need to write another 60 words in order to hit the word count for this blog. I think I’m going to take my wife out to lunch. :Unplugged:
Questions:
Which takes longer for you: CMC or FTF styles?
Can you “know” a person through Text messaging? Is the person you know authentic?
With Regard to a lack of solitude, does communication suffer if there is a lack of reflection? Are we “bad” at communicating if we don’t spend time to understand and craft messages/responses?
Are we one self that performs, or do we have multiple selves?
Is the perception of privacy on the ‘net dangerous?
Joseph Walther’s Social Information Processing theory (SIPT) suggests that computer-mediated communication (CMC) is just as effective as Face-to-face(FTF) communication but that CMC takes about twice as long. Walther employs the notion of drinking a cup of coffee; whether you sip or you gulp you still get the same amount of coffee.
Sherry Turkle suggests in Alone Together that people who are “tethered” feel that FTF communication, or even synchronous (Specifically telephone calls) take far too long to use. She argues that the “tethered” want to communicate only in ways that allow only partial attention.
I put a lot of credence into SIPT and Turkle’s idea that CMC causes people spend less time is troubling to me. I’m not discrediting Turkle’s work because she is not speaking in terms of communication richness, but in terms of frequency and time spent. For my money, when I want to get something done fast I send an email or a make a phone call. 140 characters or less? In most cases-- I’ll pass.
-----
Assigning identity through media:
Turkle brings up a case in which a 16 year old girl suggests that when she feels bad she’ll “pull up” her “friend...uh..phone” (175). Turkle makes a point of pointing out that she assigns identity to her friends through the phone. The notion of having multiple identities--one in every medium?--is fascinating. Are you the same person on TXT MSG’s as you are FTF or on Facebook.
------
Rabbit Hole
At another junction Turkle references the progression of treatment from womens sexual repression to tranquilizers and now to drugs that treat symptoms of isolation.
I’ve noticed that several of my students are doing work on the effect of technology in communication and also on the notion of solitude. Does this suggest that they feel that they do not get enough “alone” time?
Mark Powell, the author of Blood Kin suggested to me that younger people (and older people too) are often in-able to write because they cannot suffer to be alone with their thoughts. He notes that writing is not a knee-jerk response nor does it involve regurgitation, but that it requires self reflection. Does communicating with others require reflection?
------
Performing Self
Another interesting section deals with the performance of self. Turkle states that “whenever one has time to write, edit and delete, there is room for performance.” (180) This causes me to wonder if we have a self that is performative or if we have multiple selves? AND are our multiple selves multiply-mediated.
Internet communication immediately feels “scarier” when you turn the camera and the microphone on. The hyper-personal qualities of messaging change with the medium. So, in a way our identity changes.
What happens on the Internet stays on the Internet.
Often is more casual relationships it seems that one is “creepy” or a “stalker” if they follow your facebook profile too closely. But, you do it too. The numbers suggest that many people do it. But, perhaps no one wants to admit it. While we are all living (editing) our vital lives we are also creating a composed self. But, it seems that often what happens online is not socially transferable to “real life”.
The Internet brings more things into the public than in times past. Much of the moratorium is now public. Behaviors that are often seen as forgivable in young people that should happen and be forgotten are now preserved forever and all time on the Internet.
Final Thoughts
I’m troubled at the frequency of examples in this book of children feeling ignored by their parents. This is the intersection of technology and life that troubles me. For me, family is quite important. But, is our incessant need to be plugged in causing us to not relate to those most dear to us? I hope not. I need to write another 60 words in order to hit the word count for this blog. I think I’m going to take my wife out to lunch. :Unplugged:
Questions:
Which takes longer for you: CMC or FTF styles?
Can you “know” a person through Text messaging? Is the person you know authentic?
With Regard to a lack of solitude, does communication suffer if there is a lack of reflection? Are we “bad” at communicating if we don’t spend time to understand and craft messages/responses?
Are we one self that performs, or do we have multiple selves?
Is the perception of privacy on the ‘net dangerous?
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