June 20, 2015
Kindly App Helps You Find Someone to Listen When Times Are Tough
Definitely an interesting concept for an App, and likely can touch all smartphone users at some point in their life, or life cycle.
Also interesting how the article plays to the Social Isolation and potential Addition aspects, given the inert desire to be alone, but to be connected simultaneously.
The Small-World Problem
Wasn’t this phenomena made big with the 6 degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon game? This actually happened to me this week, and I jokingly called our profession and industry, “somewhat incestuous” as everyone seems to know everyone, or have worked with everyone else.
“Part of the excitement of the experimental social psychology is that it is all so new we often have no way of knowing whether our techniques will work or simply turn out to be wispy pipe dreams.”
Social Connection and Self-Disclosure as Predictors of Facebook Communication and Relational Closeness
I think this research is getting to the usage of Facebook determine your usage or interactions within the offline world.
Does the sampling seem both disproportionately female and white?
I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the interactions between those connections online would match or mimic that of the offline connections.
A Communicative Interdependence Perspective of Close Relationships: The Connections Between Mediated and Unmediated Interactions Matter
“If the focus is on understanding communication in relationships (regardless of mode), the main concern shifts from understanding the features and effects of various channels to the broader question of how communication is implicated in relational development and well-being.”
“… despite the general tendency of the extant literature to treat communication by different channels separately, it is likely that in close relationships, people do not communicate exclusively through any particular mode (e.g., TMC or FtF).” It’s somewhat funny to think that any one person could only communicate through a single fashion, i.e. Internet only or text messages only.
“Participants reported that they sometimes talk in person to continue interactions they began via TMC, and they also reported using technologies to extend interactions that begin in person.” Both completely makes sense and I do this as well.
“Rather than people replacing FtF with TMC or vice versa, it appears that in closer and more satisfying relationships, they communicate more generally, both in person and via technologies.”
“Because communication with different modes is interconnected, it is likely that communication that occurs via one mode can shape the very meaning of communication that happens via another mode.”
The Pursuit of Happiness
I guess the idea that your external appearance isn’t necessarily reflective of the person within.
Shrek and Ogres and Onions have layers – Social Penetration
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This week’s readings significantly brought forward the concept of technology linking individuals and groups through communication and general interconnectivity.
In our first article from Mashable, we learn about a smartphone app designed to connect users who are feeling down, depressed or alone, with other individuals willing to share an uplifting word or two, or a virtual shoulder to cry upon. It was interesting how the article played to the Social Isolation and potential Addition aspects, given the inherent desire to be alone, but to be connected simultaneously.
Our second reading, a research paper on the interconnectivity of all of humankind, brought forward that on average, every person knows every other person by five degrees of separation. What I found most interesting was the statistic shared that on average, an individual knows approximately 500 unique individuals and when one person is asked if they know another, the likelihood is only one in 200 that they do, but if they’re both asked if they know a possible third person, it’s a 50/50 chance they both know that same individual. This actually happened to me this week, and I jokingly called our profession and industry, “somewhat incestuous” as everyone seems to know everyone, or have worked with everyone else.
In the next research paper on social connectedness and social disclosure, I’m not sure anything really popped out at me. I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the interactions between those connections online would match or mimic that of the offline connections; the closer you are to another individual in either channel will determine what and how much you share.
The last paper was particularly interesting and reinforced what I think many already know, “Because communication with different modes is interconnected, it is likely that communication that occurs via one mode can shape the very meaning of communication that happens via another mode.” I also thought the findings of the focus group were of interest, especially, “ … the transition from mediated interactions to an actual FtF conversation was a ‘‘big jump.” It would appear FtF is considered by many to be a more intimate channel, and therefore a communicative equivalent to the relationship step of, “maybe we should move in together.”
The two video segments added perspective to the topics. I definitely found myself relating to the ogres are onions, and have always found that simile to be easily relatable. I’m sure most everyone has felt a personal “layered” approach to life, what they share, and to whom they communicate.
Questions
Interconnectivity, MMC6400, Web Theory,