Chatroom conversations often elicit an initial impression of chaos. This is probably chiefly due to disrupted adjacency sequences, but also a result of the language being rich in non-standard linguistic forms and grammar. This study explores chatroom conversations with reference to Grice’s (1975) cooperative principle and the maxims that accompany it, and compares them to real life conversations. The aim is to see whether they differ from real life conversations to the extent expected, and whether these differences give rise to any compensational strategies to ensure successful communication. The results reveal a slightly higher amount of maxim undermining in the chat room than in the real life conversations, but not as high as expected. Accordingly, few compensational strategies need be adopted. It is suggested that the main explanation for these findings is that chatroom users have adapted their conversation patterns to the medium.

I den här undersökningen tittar jag närmare på hur ordet hen används i interaktioner på Twitter. Jag frågar mig i vilka sammanhang och om vem som hen kan användas i dessa konversationer. Vad tycks gynna eller begränsa användningen av hen? Här är jag, först och främst, intresserad av att se på hur olika typer av normer kring kön och sexualitet kan tänkas påverka användningen, och vilka sådana normer som är relevanta i konversationerna. För att göra detta använder jag mig av metoden Membership categorization analysis. Med hjälp av denna metod tittar jag närmare på vilka kategoriseringar som görs relevanta och kopplas till användningen av hen. Detta möjliggör att just komma åt vilka normer som blir aktualiserade, hur de konstrueras och potentiellt påverkar användningen av hen. Därtill vill jag också se vilka möjliga alternativa positioner som hen kan tänkas etablera i relation till normativaköns- och sexualitetsdiskurser. För att fördjupa analysen av normer, kön och sexualitet tar jag min teoretiska utgångspunkt från ett queerteoretiskt perspektiv. Särskilt använder jag mig av performativitet, och det normativa ramverket den heterosexuella matrisen, som viktiga begrepp i uppsatsen för att förståhur olika köns- och sexualitetsnormer skapas och återskapas i interaktion, samt hur dessa normer påverkar möjligheterna att använda hen i konversationerna. I analysen presenterar jag två huvudgrupper som representerar olika övergripande användningsområden för hen som jag identifierat utifrån mitt material. Den ena gruppen består av användningar där hen används för att inte göra kön relevant i konversationen, och den andra är användningar där hen kan användas för att utmana eller ifrågasätta normativa föreställningar om, och beskrivningar av, kön och sexualitet. I den första gruppen är också den normkritiska aspekten av hen mer begränsad, medan den i den andra gruppen är mer central och utmanarflera olika typer av könsrelaterade normer. Ett övergripande resultat är således att hen, beroende på samtalskontexten både kan begränsasav olika könsnormer, och innebära möjligheten att dessa normer utmanas. En ytterligare aspekt som tycks begränsa möjligheten att använda hen är huruvida den som omnämns med detta ord har en relationell närhet till personen som använder ordet. I de mer nära relationerna tenderar könande pronomen att användas och tvärtom kan i stället hen användas för att benämna de personer som inte framträder med samma närhet till personen som gör referensen.

Emotikoner är ett vanligt inslag vid datormedierad kommunikation, såsom på den sociala nätverkstjänsten Twitter. Emotikoner tycks ha en vedertagen roll som känslomarkörer i en text, men forskning har visat att de även har andra funktioner av mer pragmatisk art. En mer nyanserad bild av emotikoners funktioner på Twitter kan öka förståelsen av hur de ska tolkas i texter och stödja utvecklingen av automatiska textanalyser där emotikoner förekommer. Då funktionerna hos emotikoner ur ett pragmatiskt perspektiv tidigare har studerats främst inom ramen för andra språk och kommunikationskanaler bidrar denna studie med en analys av kommunikativa funktioner hos emotikoner i twitterinlägg skrivna på svenska. 202 twitterinlägg innehållande fem olika typer av emotikoner analyseras med utgångspunkt i existerande litteratur om emotikoner samt pragmatiska teorier som talaktsteori, artighetsteori och implikatur. Sju olika funktioner identifieras. Analysen indikerar att emotikonernas främsta funktion är att markera känslor, men förekommer gör även funktioner som förändrar tolkningen av avsändarens avsikt med yttrandet, genom att mildra eller förstärka den så kallade illokuta styrkan, samt funktioner som markerar humor och ironi. Resultatet bekräftar emotikonernas främsta roll som känslomarkörer även i svenska twitterinlägg, men påvisar också att de även kan ha andra funktioner där de förändrar tolkningen av avsändarens avsikt med texten.

The purpose of this study is to describe and offer a description of postgraduate students' experiences of computer-mediated communication in an interactive web-based learning environment. This is relevant to the South African context regarding its appropriateness and feasibility as a distance-learning medium. In this research study the collaboration of offline and online learning as a dual medium is briefly looked at. Concepts involved in web interactions, such as computer-mediated communication, are reviewed and some of these experiences are described. A systems qualitative analysis was employed in the research design, and consequently a systemic lens was utilised as the theoretical perspective. This lens allowed for a revealing of interactional and communication patterns involved in web-based learning environments. The findings in this research study are discussed and some recommendations for web learners and course presenters are briefly highlighted. / Dissertation (MA (Research Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Psychology / unrestricted

This thesis reports on aspects of information exchange in an online network whose members share an interest in travel. The Thorn Tree resembles a real thorn tree on which travellers hang messages. Using social network analysis, the network resulting from members participating in online discussions considers the importance of structure and position in an exchange network to travel information exchanges on the Africa category. Different ways and frequency of participation result in communication patterns giving structure to an exchange network in which participation in a thread determines the presence of a tie between actors. Actors are placed in various relations to others; network analysis makes measurements such as levels of reciprocity, density and centrality possible. At the heart of this study lies an inquiry into the Internet’s impact on society, more so, human interaction in cyberspace where spaces, places and even communities are qualified as being “virtual”. Scholars have different views in this regard. Some commentators claim that the Internet has spawned unique forms of community. The term “virtual communities” suggests new kinds of social interaction, with revolutionary consequences for local and global communication. Online communication could be a substitute for the loss of “traditional” physical communities, or even the cause of their demise. Others, however, praise the Internet for spawning communities even in the physical world. More complex theoretical perspectives are indicative of a need to interrogate the very notions of community and contemporary social networks resultant from the many-to-many communication capabilities of computer-mediated communication (CMC). Apart from community formation on the Internet, the concept community has not been tested among travellers yet. Networks, the ties people form and the exchanges that take place as a result of such ties relate to social capital. The notion of social capital in a computer-mediated environment needs more intense academic scrutiny. Nevertheless, for travellers and destination areas alike, information exchanges can be beneficial. However, not all information exchanges on the Thorn Tree or on the Internet per se are necessarily beneficial since verification is not always possible in a cyber environment. Nevertheless, for travellers with a need for travel information in a sparse network characterised by weak ties, content analysis linked to a network analysis proves that weak ties are beneficial for spreading useful information. On the Africa category discussions are short while threads have very limited life spans. Of the total number of actors in this dataset (1 282), it was found that a few are particularly active, while many contribute a few messages to a limited number of threads and clearly do not interact regularly on the Thorn Tree. / Thesis (DPhil (Information Science))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Information Science / unrestricted

The 21st century can be defined as the fast paced information age wherein people establish another dimension to living; existing and interacting as multiple pseudopersonalities in cyberspace. The main aim of the study is to provide a description of a group of people known as 'Generation Xers', who develop cyberspace culture whilst interacting in chat-rooms. It is a two-fold process; firstly they create on-line 'pseudopersonalities' different from their off-line ‘normal’ personalities, and secondly they share unique values that characterise cyberspace culture globally. The research process starts at the microlevel where individuals interact with each other in chat-rooms. On the mesolevel unique interaction patterns develop in chat-rooms that differ from traditional face-to-face interaction patters. On the macrolevel, cyberspace culture and specific values develop that Generation Xers share on a global basis. During the research process quantitative and qualitative methods were combined in order to compliment the limitations imbedded in each methodology. Summarising relevant theories, on a microlevel the developmental process of pseudopersonalities is described by starting with its manifestation in the off-line world. The Johari-window and Roger's person-centred approach are used to describe the same process in the on-line world. On a mesolevel, differences between computer-mediated communication and face-to-face communication are discussed within the Cyber Psychology paradigm. On the macrolevel, the Internet experience is described by means of the Symbolic Action Theory. The All Media and Product Survey (AMPS) database forms the basis of the longitudinal, statistical profile of the South African Internet-user population. Currently Internet access figures remain low at around 7-8% of the total population. South African Generation Xers, aged 16-49, are the richer and more affluent part of South African society, living in major metropolitan areas, earning R12 000+. A qualitative content analysis of chat room behaviour in 384 chat-rooms sheds light on the dynamics behind their usage patterns. The .co.za-dictionary reflects the creative way in which .co.za-emotion and memory are expressed and negotiated. Pseudopersonalities that are at play in the borderless world of cyberspace continuously reflect issues, problems and struggles of everyday life in South Africa such as racial tension, political struggles and sexual interaction governed by the following cultural values: -- Respect -- An openness to the unknown -- Looking towards to the self (not governing bodies) for direction, resulting in; -- Liberty with responsibility towards the common good, the core of every society across the globe. Finally the applicability of the Internet chat-room as a psychological research tool is explored within the South African context. It seems that although an effective tool for international surveys on sensitive topics, the South African research market is not ready for this tool to be implemented. South African Generation Xers perceive themselves as part of a global cyberspace culture and any distinction between the virtual and the real, does not imply a privilege to either, but rather a connection between the two. In this digital era, cyberspace is an electronic reflection of the way people communicate, interact, share and live life. / Thesis (PhD (Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Psychology / unrestricted

L’essor considérable d’Internet a permis l’émergence de nouveaux espaces d’échanges et d’interactions réunissant les individus à distance. Ces nouvelles formes d’interactions sociales ont conduit les chercheurs, dans le cadre des Communications Médiatisées par Ordinateur (CMO) à étudier la composante sociale des échanges en ligne, les spécificités et les conséquences de ce type d’interaction. Dans cette perspective, l’objectif de ce travail est d’examiner dans quelle mesure les spécificités des CMO – en premier lieu l’anonymat – peuvent moduler les perceptions sociales et les processus impliqués lors des interactions en ligne. Cette problématique concerne nombre de situations de communication et implique différents processus. De fait, le présent travail s’organise selon trois axes de recherche. Le premier axe aborde l’étude des perceptions groupales basées sur des appartenances circonscrites à un environnement virtuel. Le second axe s’intéresse à la modulation des perceptions de genre sur Internet, en tenant compte de la structure asymétrique de ces perceptions. Le troisième axe étudie la modulation des pressions normatives et des possibilités d’expression lors des CMO. Dans leur ensemble, ces travaux suggèrent que les CMO n’induisent pas un affaiblissement des facteurs sociaux, mais une modulation des processus en fonction des spécificités du contexte d’interaction. Les résultats de ces recherches sont discutés au regard notamment des théories de l’identité sociale, de l’auto-catégorisation et du modèle SIDE. / The growth of Internet allowed the emergence of new spaces of exchanges and social interaction between remote individuals. These new modalities of social interactions led the researchers, in the framework of Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), to study the social component of online exchanges, characteristics and consequences of this type of interaction. In this perspective, the aim of this work is to examine how the characteristics of CMC - first anonymity - can modulate social perceptions and the processes involved in online interactions. This problem concerns many communication situations and involves different processes. Accordingly, the present work is organized in three research areas. The first part deals with the study of perceptions based on membership confined to a virtual environment. The second part focuses on the asymmetric modulation of gender perceptions on the Internet. The third part examines the influence of social norms and possibilities of expression in the CMC. Taken together, the results suggest that the CMC does not induce a weakening of social factors, but a modulation of the processes according to the characteristics of the context of interaction. The results are discussed in the light of the social identity theory, the self-categorization theory and the SIDE model.

Without question, it is apparent that organizations are predominantly dependent on the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) to conduct their daily operations. As a result, information is rapidly flowing throughout the workplace and being exchanged at a rate unlike ever before. Unfortunately, this rapid flow of information has increased the potential for information overload to occur among employees. Through a phenomenological based approach, this study explored the experiences of information overload that occur as a result of CMC use in the workplace, from the subjective point of view of ten participants. Findings indicated that the experiences described among these participants can be understood through the examination of four descriptive themes: Constant Communication, Unpredictability, Miscommunication, and lastly Increased Workload and Responsibilities. Furthermore, two theories: Media Richness Theory (MRT) and Social Influence Theory (SIT), served as the theoretical framework for this study.

Modern society frequently fails to achieve the goal of improved rationality and this is largely because the conditions for ideal speech do not prevail. We do not always permit everyone an equal opportunity to explain their point of view and the force of the best argument does not always prevail. Communication becomes more difficult when people cannot meet face to face, but it is also hindered when people cannot contact one another easily. There is, therefore, a trade-off between using computer-mediated media for communication and speaking to each other in person. Although meaning can never be shared to the extent that two individuals have precisely the same interpretation of a concept, and society is not based on individuals uniformly embracing identical views or values, in every day life consensus needs to be reached and truth claims, normative validity claims and aesthetic validity claims must be made, debated and eventually accepted or refuted. Collaboration on substantial tasks that require the development of concepts and reconstruction of meaning depends on effective communication. In the distributed social structures which have developed as a result of globalisation it is important that dispersed teams are able to work together. This includes collaborative learning in distance education. In the action research undertaken first year Informatics students could choose between doing team work face-to-face, or as dispersed teams communicating via e-mail or WebCT. The discussions were recorded and were analysed to identify the different types of communicative action engaged in. This was done to understand how this group collaborate so that success factors could be identified and proposals be made regarding education in the use of e-mail. It was found that the virtual (dispersed) teams studied did not succeed in collaborating. Communication ability is defined in this thesis as the skill that compensates for the inherent leanness of the medium used. A number of depictions of factors contributing to successful asynchronous collaboration are provided. Different classes of information and time, trust and communication ability assist in constructing meaning when text is communicated electronically. This led to suggestions regarding improving the communications ability of individuals. / Dissertation (PhD (Information Technology))--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Informatics / unrestricted

付記する学位プログラム名: デザイン学大学院連携プログラム / 京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(情報学) / 甲第22804号 / 情博第734号 / 新制||情||125(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院情報学研究科社会情報学専攻 / (主査)教授 黒田 知宏, 教授 吉川 正俊, 教授 緒方 広明 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Informatics / Kyoto University / DFAM