This dissertation investigated the effects of instructor's self-disclosure using the Facebook social networking online platform on students' motivation types, attitudes, and performance in the course. The participants were 104 beginning French students enrolled in an online French course at a research one university in the southeast U.S. The participants were divided into a Facebook group, where they could access the instructor's Facebook profile throughout the semester, and a control group. Demographic data about the participants were gathered through a background questionnaire. Two instruments were used for determining respectively the types of motivation exhibited by students and their attitudes toward the course and its instructor. An open-ended exit questionnaire provided qualitative data about the participants' experience in the study. The results indicated that participants in the Facebook group experienced a significant shift in motivation type that research has determined as being beneficial for language learning. No such shift occurred in students assigned to the control group. However, there was no significant difference in attitudes toward the course and its instructor between the two groups. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in performance between the two groups. Qualitative data suggests that participants in the Facebook group were more inclined to relate with the instructor whereas participants assigned to the control group were more hermetic to the idea of instructor's self-disclosure through Facebook.

Globalisation is increasing, reason for people working more and more cross-culturally and with the use of computer-mediated tools. The field of research on both of these individual topics is existent and has thoroughly been discussed. Nevertheless, the integration of these topics in the field of research is still scarce and relatively unknown. The purpose of this study is therefore to understand the communication issues that arise between people from different cultures when interacting through textual computer-mediated communication tools, and how these issues are dealt with. These communication issues and their consequences will therefore be identified and investigated, in order to get a better understanding of what this entails. A qualitative study has been done to fulfil this purpose. Data has been collected through nine semi-structured interviews with people from different locations around the world. With this way of data collection, the focus lied on extracting the perspectives of the individuals on these topics. Thereafter the data has been analysed according to seven steps for a grounded analysis, in order to create a theory. The results of this study have shown that there are mainly three communication issues arising from the use of textual computer-mediated communication tools across cultures. These issues are named as linguistic barriers, cultural differences in communication, and the absence of nonverbal communication. It has shown that these issues have a significant impact on this type of communication, causing several consequences. The direct, negative consequences coming from these issues are the deterioration of professional relationships and a decrease in productivity. Next to these consequences, the study has shown that people also tend to develop certain counterstrategies against these issues. That is so to say, ways of minimising the negative impact that the issues have on the communication.

This thesis aims to contribute to the field of interaction design by exploring the use of nonverbal cues in FTF communication with the aim of generating knowledge that can be used as an alternative approach for assessing and designing text-based CMC media. To achieve this goal, movement in is analysed in the nonverbal and collaborative dimensions of FTF communication. This presents the possibility to assess text-based CMC media based on a better understanding of the use of nonverbal cues and FTF communication as a standard. The assessment and design based on this concept is tested in the design phase. This process provides a platform for discussion and evaluation of an alternative approach for designing text-based CMC media with a focus on interaction between communicators.

This research examines escalation of commitment in capital investment decisions and the extent to which it can be mitigated using a cognitive prime. Specifically, I examine the use of a cognitive prime as a way to mitigate escalation in three decision-making settings: (1) individual, (2) face-to-face team, and (3) computer-mediated team. Continued investment in failing projects is costly for firms. The use of a cognitive prime to reduce escalation would provide a low cost way to mitigate escalation. In this study, participants are primed to think about sunk costs. The expectation is that priming individuals to think about sunk costs will increase the accessibility of sunk cost knowledge and reduce the likelihood of continued investment in the failing project. Further, based on Persuasive Arguments Theory, it is expected that the prime will reduce escalation in teams communicating in a computer-mediated setting more than in any other decision setting. The results of the experiment support the prediction that priming will reduce escalation and did so in all decision making settings. Further, the results indicate that, in the computer-mediated setting, primed teams had the least amount of escalation behavior coupled with the largest difference in escalation compared to teams that were not primed.

Research suggests that Internet and cell phone overuse may result in lower levels of social skills and encourage isolation from peers. Less clear is whether the duration of computer-mediated communication (CMC) influences adolescent perception of their social skills competency or emotional health. This research was guided by the social cognitive theory, which suggests that social self-efficacy (SSE), the belief that they have the skills to engage successfully with others in conversation and social activities, develops from mastery experiences that regulate thought, motivation, and action. This quantitative cross-sectional survey design utilized a convenience sample of 49 adolescents ages 11-19, living in Austin County, TX, to examine the impact of CMC duration on adolescent SSE, social anxiety, and depression. Regression analyses indicated CMC duration did not significantly affect SSE, social anxiety, or depression at the p <. 05 level. Computer-mediated communication duration did influence SSE at the p = .07 level, suggesting a trend toward statistical significance. Post hoc analysis revealed a significant interaction at the p < .05 level when CMC restriction severity was tested as a moderator in the CMC duration-SSE relationship. These findings suggest that the interaction between CMC duration and restrictions may influence social self-efficacy. Additional research on the relationship between CMC and adolescent psychosocial health would be helpful, particularly using larger and more generalizable samples. This study may inform the efforts of authority figures to adolescents, specifically, on the ways in which technological changes affect adolescent social development and will help to ensure that adolescents are safe, psychologically healthy, and able to maintain healthy relationships.

Understanding normative developmental patterns in romantic relationships within cultural-historical contexts is a vital research agenda, and contemporary relationships develop amid pervasive socio-technological advancements. The role of technology in relationship functioning is relevant as romantic relationships are among the most important types of relationships and technology may substitute proximity, a core imperative of the attachment system. This study described patterns of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in young adult romantic relationships. Specifically, we hypothesized that core relational and personality constructs were linked to participants’ interpretations and reactions to CMC. Participants were 97 college students who provided global scores for rejection sensitivity, attachment representations, relationship satisfaction, and data about CMC with their romantic partner. Participants were prompted twice daily for two weeks to respond to questions assessing the nature and reaction to their most recent CMC with their romantic partner. Participants used texting more than any other CMC and communicated with romantic partners more than all others combined. Participants’ high relationship and communication satisfaction remained relatively constant. The 97 participants completed 1,616 mobile responses. Reported response latency was higher for men than women. Significant negative correlations emerged between interaction ratings, rejection sensitivity, and both insecure attachment dimensions. Regression analyses revealed only main effects for response latency and insecure attachment in predicting interaction ratings for women. No significant interactions emerged between response latency and attachment/response latency. For men, insecure attachment representations and rejection sensitivity demonstrated direct effects on interaction ratings. Avoidant attachment and response latency demonstrated a statistically significant interaction. Response latency and the interaction rating were negatively related only for men who scored low in avoidance. This study contributes to the body of literature assessing outcomes and qualities of romantic relationships in emerging adulthood. Technological communication is a key feature of young couples’ communication and appears more prevalent in romantic relationships than other relationships. Additionally, core relational and personality characteristics are substantially correlated to interpretations of momentto- moment interactions via technology.

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This study aimed to explore the ways in which Hebrew is currently being manipulated online through a linguistic deviation called Fakatsa. In this study, participants were asked to rate random statements of frivolous or serious topics in either standard grammatical Hebrew or Fakatsa Hebrew conditions on specific judgment values. It was hypothesized that participants would rate the Fakatsa writer negatively on certain characteristics, such as intelligence, education, religiosity, and nationalism and positively on other characteristics, such as femininity and creativity. Twenty-four participants completed this experiment. Results showed that participants responded as expected for certain negative attributes typical of Fakatsa and deviations to computer-mediated communication and did not respond as expected for any the positive attributes typical of Fakatsa. The results showed that fluent Hebrew speakers viewed users of the Fakatsa manipulation differently than users of standard Hebrew and may suggest personal biases and perceptions when encountering computer-mediated communication.

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