1. Coye Cheshire & Andrew Fiore June 12, 2015 // Computer-Mediated Communication Social Presentation and Perception

2. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore1 A Brief Introduction to Symbolic Interaction “The character of interaction as it takes place between human beings” Herbert Blumer (1900-1987) developed much of the sociological approach to SI Long history of development in both philosophy and sociology

3. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore2 Core Features of SI Symbols… Change…

4. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore3 Core Features of SI Interaction… Empirical… Note the focus on the micro-level!

5. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore4 Goffman’s Approach and Focus How individuals create and maintain their ‘social self’ Dramaturgical Approach: Uses theater and drama as a metaphor for how we develop and present ourselves

6. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore5 Frontstage and Backstage

7. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore6 Expressions Given and Given Off Goffman’s discusses two types of expressions: ‘given’ (intentional) ‘given off’ (unintentional)

8. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore7 Some Key Concepts in Goffman’s Work “Front” “Idealization” “Definition of the Situation” “Expressions given” “Expressions given off” “Impression Management”

9. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore8 Meaning through Contradiction?  When individuals act in a way that is inconsistent with expected behavior, several things happen (for the ‘performer’ and the ‘audience’).  In many ways, the study of social “roles” allows us to understand such expectations as they are continually interpreted.

10. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore9 Social Order through Interaction? Goffman argues that social order can be an outcome of our symbolic interactions… What are some examples of how this might occur (in CMC or other ‘mediated’ situations)?

11. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore10

12. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore11 Signaling  Assessment signals  Handicap (costly) signals  Index signals  Conventional signals  How do people send and receive them?  At a bar, on IM, in online dating?  Cost of signaling, cost of assessing

13. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore12 Costs and benefits for sender  Costs  Production  Efficacy costs  Strategic costs  Risk  Punishment  Benefits  Signaling: Changing observer’s beliefs  Functional: Hedonic and utilitarian

14. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore13 Costs and benefits for receiver  Costs  Assessment  Being deceived by a dishonest signal  Benefits  Signaling: Learning about the sender  Functional: Again, hedonic and utilitarian

15. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore14 How does signaling differ online and offline?

16. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore15 What is “deception”? How can we resolve the tension between “playful” and “literal” use of CMC?

17. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore16 What is Goffman’s “setting” in CMC interaction? Where does it come from?

18. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore17 “ The architects of a virtual space — from the software designers to the site administrators — shape the community in a more profound way than do their real-world counterpart. People eat, sleep, and work in buildings; the buildings affect how happily they do these things. But the buildings do not completely control their perception of the world. In the electronic domain, the design of the environment is everything. ”

19. 6/12/2015Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore18 Just for fun  Passport to the Pub: A guide to British pub etiquette  http://www.sirc.org/publik/pub.html http://www.sirc.org/publik/pub.html  Guide to Flirting  http://www.sirc.org/publik/flirt.html http://www.sirc.org/publik/flirt.html Both from Social Issues Research Centre.