Electronically Mediated Communication Essay

Our everyday communication involves lecture to friends, l everywheres, family members, acquaintances, co-workers and battalion in service positions. We do this routinely, usually without much thought, un slight more or less chore occurs or the relationship starts to swan a turn for the worse. Then we become painfully aw ar of the poor communication we require had with an opposite. Weve the likely all had relationships that slipped a office beca practice session we couldnt talk to each other or didnt bother to try.In this chapter we depart look at the mundane, yet remarkable, process of dyadic ( ace-on- unmatchable), Electroni dealy mediate Interpersonal Communication. Well take on a topical approach to the subject of electronically negociate Interpersonal Communication, examining a broad ramble of topics studies do on the subject at hand. We give begin with an examination of mobile phone phone tradition processes and then(prenominal) spend time on the role of commu nication in the clearation, maintenance, and dissolution of relationships of all subjects. You will learn new terms and theories and how they potful apply to your own relationships and communication abilities victimisation Electronically Mediated Interpersonal Communication.electric electric carrel phones kiosk phones be becoming an integral part of our effortless lives. It is no affect that a ground breaking study just released articulates mobile technical schoolnology has permanently changed the way we work, live, and love. commissioned by Motorola, this new behavioral study took researchers to nine cities adult malewide from New York to London. Using a conclave of personal inter statuss, field studies, and observation, the study identified a variety of behaviors that demonstrate the dramatic impact cellular telephone phones be having on the way people interact.The study found cell phones give people a newfound personal power, enabling unprecedented mobility and allo wing them to conduct their business on the go. Interesting enough, gender differences provide be found in phone economic consumption. Women behold their cell phone as a performer of expression and social communication, while males pass to use it as an synergetic toy. Some men view the cell phone as a status symbol competing with other males for the most high tech toy and even exploitation the cell phone to seduce the opposite sex. The study found both types of cell phone users- innies, who use their phones discreetly, and outies, who atomic number 18 louder and less concerned with the people around them.The report, titled On the Mobile, has labeled todays teenagers The Thumb Generation. Cell phones argon often used by the jr. generation to send text messages by typing with their thumbs on the phones keypad. Believe it or not, this has had a profound effect on the way teenagers use their thumbs. Thumb dexterity has improved so much that some teenagers this instant point an d even ring doorbells with their thumb instead of their forefinger. The use of these nonpartizan text messaging devices has in addition resulted in generation text, a language of abbreviations that is understood by the preadolescent all over the world.Yet cell phones atomic number 18 not just for the young. The cell phone has profit long distance communications easy. GSM phones that place calls worldwide have turned the universe into a spheric village. They atomic number 18 easeing people from all generations cross cultural and corporal borders. Mobile engineering science, specifically the use of cell phones, has become an internal part of todays life all around the globe.Cell phones have become so second nature in our society that the daily answering of your cell phone when having a face to face interaction with a friend, spouse, or acquaintance becomes a eldest priority (Kelly calls me) and is no longer viewed as an interruption, exactly rather seen as a status symbol . This is also problematic because it has made our conversations become public for all to hear no longer having those intimate clubby talks, now any(prenominal)one who is around you arsehole listen in and become part of our conversations..There currently over 170 one million million users in the United States and growing by 1million every month.Cell Phone UsageIn a June 2000 Cellular One survey of college students 6, the students reported the following as the most important reasons for purchasing a cell phone Emergencies (47%) To contact significant others (44%) To keep in touch with family members (58%) To coordinate social activities (32%)In the like survey students reported that the reasons they actually used their cell phones were Optimize time make calls while walking or driving (56.6%) Emergencies (35.5%) Coordinate social activities (7.0%)Juanita gives warning of cell phone use.Participation Question How do you react to someone using there cell phone in a public place? For instance when you argon seating down in the theater stand byting ready to see the movie and someones cell phones goes off? What vigour you do? Whats your reaction?Have them write down answer then share with class.E-mails other form of Electronically Mediated Interpersonal Communication is the Internet. Electronic communication is usually transmitted via the internet. Which is an world(prenominal) electronic computer network made up of smaller computer networks. The internet is an nurture vigilance system made up of information providers and information seekers. This idea of linking computers came to fruition in the mid 1960s. In 1983 this network became known collectively as the internet. The World Wide Web is part of the internet where information is pre directed.Here are some terms that are associated with the internet. Go online to show examples.* Webpages- are somewhat like pages in a book that include both pictures and text.* Websites- Are a collection of webpages bel onging to the identical organization or person.* Home page- Is the first page of a website.* Browser- Is a program that enables you to search millions of websites other than known as surfing the net. These programs include Netsacpe, Explore, just to name a few.* Uniform resource locater or URL- The path name of a domain.* Bookmark- Stores favorite sites that you would like to re-visit.* Search engines- Identifies websites and corresponding URLs like google and yahoo.Give some stats on internet usage in the United States. Write on board (Kelly).Internet usage among Americans are as followedWomen use the internet 67%Men use the internet 69% more that womenNow we will also break down internet usage by age18-29 84%30-49 80%50-64 67%65+ 26%As you can see the usage is cut drastically as we move into the older generation. The older generations did not have the availability to these new electronic mediated forms of communication. Younger generations have practically been raised with th ese devices in place and are part of their everyday lives.Another part of being online is electronic mails. This is a written form of communication sent via the internet. Email is the largest application of internet technology. In the early 90s email was an option addressable mostly for interoffice communication. and a small number of people were experimenting with emails as a general performer to communication. Today of the 75% of teens online, email accounts for most of their one on one contacts. Email has two major advantages one its fast and two its unlimited. precisely unlike traditional mail, email is public and not buck private. community can intercept and read nearly any message sent using the right software. So once again privacy is no longer an objective, only when convenience has become the number one priority in our lives. This is seen in the way we communicate in emails. So fast paced has our lives become that we now abbreviate voice communication andthoughts in to mere letters, like B.F.N. which stands for BYE FOR NOW. Not only has communication become shorter, only also less meaningful. Over 36 billion emails are sent on a daily basis worldwide. We essential remember that emails are forms of communication and should be treated as any other form of public interaction, that is respect.Here are some skills that should be kept in mind when using this form of electronically mediated interpersonal communicationSENDER SKILLS1. USING PRECISE, CONCRETE WORDS Since feeling of voice, facial expressions, gestures and other non literal means we use to communicate are virtually nonexistent in cyber communication, you need to be especially misgivingful with the words you use when writing to another person. What do you word we write down together sometime does little more than express an interest in tingeing, but understand you were to include times you are available, and a potential date for assembleing, the other person will be more likely to accept an invitation to meet because they see it as a possibility rather than an sneak idea.2. PROVIDING DETAILS AND EXAMPLES Once again, its not what you severalise, its how you say it. Being too short in an email to someone could likely cause miscommunication. However, providing details and examples can help to classify up any confusion.3. DESCRIBE YOUR FEELINGS Clear content (ideas, details, explanation, feelings) helps the receiver understand not only what youre talking close to, but how the subject at hand makes you feel. If I were to email someone and tell them I ran out of atom smasher today, smashed my toe on the wall, and got to work late, they would have assume that I was not having a advantageously day, but wouldnt be able to tell how it had made me feel. Now if I were to say I had a horrible morning. I smashed my toe on the wall while I was running out of the house, ran out of gas on the way to work and showed up 20 transactions late. Im feeling so stressed and upset the receiver of my information would definitely get a clear picture of how the morning made me feel.4. PRESENT YOUR IDEAS POLITELY When were online theres a tendency to separate ourselves from the person were talking with. Sometimes this leads to saying things in a way that others will perceive as offensive. Say Kyle and Chris got in an argument a few days ago. Rather than plain saying Chris I want to talk about what happened the other day, Kyle whitethorn want to say Chris, when you get a chance, I think we should talk about the other day. I really value our friendship, and was wondering if you would want to get together to clear the air. Now Kyle is allow Chris know that he doesnt intend on letting the friendship get ruined because of one argument, but he also doesnt want to have any hostility going into the reconciliation. pass closureer SKILLS1. LISTEN TO WHAT THE PERSON HAS SAID a tool one can use when reading an email is to say it out loud, not just skim throu gh with(predicate) it. You are now adding the nonverbals that the simple words on the page are lacking.2. BE SENSITIVE TO THE PERSONS FEELINGS Even if the printed message may not capture a persons feelings as wholesome as wed like, we must still try and be in tune with them. Someone we are closely involved with may expect us to empathize with them when they are sending us a message. So rather than simply reading the words, we must try and imagine how those words make the sender feel by intellection about that person in general. In some cases, we may still be unclear about the meaning of a certain message, and this is when perception checking comes in handy. We must ask the person to try and clear up what they meant when a message is ambiguous or vague.3. PARAPHRASE KEY IDEAS BEFORE YOU RESPOND DUH cognition check. If someone emailed you saying I spoke with my manager the other day and he said hes laying off my closest friend here, you may respond I get the sense that you are up set with your manager for his decision to lay off your friend, and also feel drear for your friend about the possibility of him losing his job am I right? The person can then respond letting you know if you got the message right.4. BE SUPPORTIVE WHEN A PERSON IS SHARING computable NEWS Regardless of how a person has phrased their message, they expect their message to be fully understood. If someone shares good news with you, they expect you to respond in a positive manner.5. PRAISE A PERSONS ACCOMPLISHMENTS kinda self explanatory.6. TRY TO COMFORT A PERSON WHOS HURTING People who are close to us seek pacifier. Because of the lack of sharing the same personal space with the person whom we are communicating, we may not feel inclined to get involved in the issue with which that person is struggling. But remember, a person would not say anything unless they were seeking comfort. So if your friend emails you and says Ive been having a enceinte week.My dog is sick, Im behind on h ome(a)work, and I havent been myself lately, you musnt ignore that person, but provide some sort of support. Responding with Man, that sucks is NOT a good way to comfort someone. However, responding with, Wow, Im so sorry. I really hope your dog is okay, and if you need any help with getting organized, let me know what I can do. Im here for you, and you can call me if you ever need to just vent is a better way of showing the person that you care about them and their current situation.Participation question How often do you use your email account on a weekly basis? Write down answer and then share with class.Other interactions that can take place using the internet is newsgroups and confabulation rooms. Everyday millions of people chat online with friends, colleagues and strangers. Teens use this form of interaction the most amount of time. Many teens engage in internet chat because they can be themselves more oppose to face to face interactions.This is due to them not being afraid of how people will judge them. One unique characteristic of being online is that your real identity is usually kept secret. well-nigh people adopt a cyber identity or persona. In this make believe world you can become anything or anyone you want. This can besomewhat problematic because so can everyone else.Here are a few definitions on the topicNewsgroups- Is an electronic gathering place for people with similar interests. (Online example)Chat- Is an online interactive exchange between two or more people. (Online example)Lurking- Listening in on newsgroups or chat conversations. (Online example)Flaming- A hostile or negative respond to what youve written. (Online example)Participation question Does anyone belong to a Newsgroup or likes to chat online? How often?Thomas gives example about chat rooms.Thanks to advances in technology, people are introduced to others they havenever seen through chat rooms and internet dating services. These people mostly meet in a room where they talk about a certain subject. The people who meet online are likely to try and develop these Electronically Mediated relationships (or EM relationship) into a personal relationship. They will meet in a chat room, and if an interest in someone sparks the desire to meet in a private chat room, they may do so. From here, people are ableto communicate one-on-one and may then find out they have more than one thing in common. If the interest continues to grow, they may talk over the phone, and eventually meet in person. The result could be just a friendship, or an intimate relationship.Statistics show that 23.7% of the people in a study of a certain newsgroupor chat room communicated with their partner 3-4 times a week, and 55.4% communicated at least on a weekly basis. These EM relationships are attractive to some people with busy lifestyles who claim they have no time to do the impede scene. Other people who have a face-to-face relationships use EMC to sustain that relationship. E-mail was primitively designed as a tool for conducting business, but is now used wide by friends, family, and lovers to maintain close connection that might be difficult to sustain when there is a lack of time, or there is great distance between the two parties.Instant Messaging is one of the most widely used tools for sustaining or developing relationships. My brother lives with me, yet when we are at home, we get the mosttalking done while using Instant Messenger from separate rooms in the house. This is not to say our relationship wouldnt last if we didnt communicate via the internet, but it is a good way to catch up on each others lives while still working on what needs to get done like homework, and obviously communicating with others as well.EMC is less fruitful than face to face communication, because text messages areprimarily verbal. We have talked about the loss or lack of intimacy in EMC, and this is mostly because the way we say our words means more than just what is said. Ms. M allard used the example of I warmth You in class. Typing I love you, while getting the message across, does not necessarily contemplate the emotion and intent behind those three words. We refer to our EM encounters as talking to people, but the words we write seldom carry out as much meaning as we think. Only with videoconferencing is the full range of nonverbal messages available.After all, communication is at its most effective when there are verbal ANDnonverbal messages being carried out EMC, conducted via keyboard entries, is sluggish paced than face-to-face conversations. We think faster than we cantype (unless youreSuper-Secretary). Although this slower rate may provide a person more time for thought, this slower transmission reduces the spontaneity that is an important characteristic of face-to-face interaction.EM communicators are perceived to be less supportive. As stated before, short messages may be interpreted many different ways, and are more often seen as very imper sonal. In face-to-face communication, anywhere from 33% to 100% of the meaning depends on how the message was stated. Many people are attracted to EMC as a means of developing or maintaining relationships if they have had difficulty cultivating strong interpersonal relationships in person. Because EMC is planned, some people are able to show verbal skillfulness and humor in their writing, but lack those skills in face to face settings. Some individuals report that EM relationships are more satisfying than face-to-face relationships.Now is this because we have advanced so far in the technological field that more and more people are online, thus providing us with a greater range of people to meet, or is this because people are losing the ability to hold their own in a face-to-face encounter. Americans used to go to clubs or bars to meet people, but are now staying home on Friday nights to talk to their online partner because they are more comfortable suppressing their need for group i nteraction in a less threatening atmosphere. Think about it, it is easier to talk to someone you are interested in online because the things you would have trouble saying in person simply roll right off your fingertips when using the internet. The awkwardness in a first conversation is virtuallynon-existent. You feel more connected to that person, and relationships tend to develop faster this way.Role of Electronic Communication in Building RelationshipsToday communication technologies are changing the way we building and maintaining relationships. Prior to 1990, people became more acquainted mostly with those with whom they had personal physical contact. At the sametime, dating services advertised that they can get people in the same community acquainted with each other within a week. Today, people are able to make acquaintances with people around the world within seconds.From Online to In-Person RelationshipsIn face to face relationships, trust is reinforced over time. In EM relat ionships, making a trust evaluation is more difficult. Some of the media through which relationships are developed are very opaque.Kelly gives example about Justine (trust factor).The dark side of Electronically Mediated CommunicationThere are three main problems with EMCEM communication to form relationship and compass information has a number of risks and iniquity. ( Abuse of Anonymity) Write on board- One type of abuse in Internet- based relationships stems from the common practice of assuming a fictitious online persona. (Dishonesty) Write on boardA second risk in cyber relationships lies in the ease with which one can be deceived. In cyberspace, people commonly lie about their sex and physical attributes, and create fictitious careers, homes, and so forth. Unfortunately, some people use cyberspace to prey on others. When we develop in-person relationships, we usually have commutative ways of confirming that the people are what they are representing themselves to be. Because we dont know our EM partners in person we are severely limited in our abilities to independently confirm what we are told.Abuse of anonymity and dishonesty are of special concern for EM relationships formed by children. In 1998, seventeen million children ages two to eighteen were online. That number is expected to grow even higher. This is of some concern as well due to the growing numbers of Addiction. (Addiction) Write on board A third potential problem for children and adults alike is technological addictions, defined as non chemical (behavioral) addictionsthat involves human machine interaction. People who are habituate spend inordinate amounts of time online and begin to prefer their cyber relationships to their real ones.So in conclusion technology has made some great strides in bringing the world closer, meaning we literally have the world at our fingertips. We can communicate with someone in Ireland at the press of a button. The effectiveness of Electronically Mediated Com munication as it relates to inter-personal communication lies solely in how we choose to use it. EMC, if used wrongly can drastically deteriorate the level of human intimacy and can take away the private aspect of communication with loved ones and has in turn made it into a public affair.