Lecture Notes for COMM 102: Computer Mediated Communication

COMPUTER MEDIATED COMMUNICATION (COMM 102) LECTURE NOTES

Major Feedback Summary:
- Lecture videos are seen as repetitive (this is intentional).
- Students desire more opportunities for practice.
- Increased focus on Think-Pair-Share and Real World applications.
- Interest in extra credit options.

Weekend Concept Checks:
- Will be available starting Wednesday after lecture by 5 PM.
- Due by Sunday at 11:59 PM.
- Purpose: Address feedback needs and create more practice opportunities.
Details about Concept Checks:
- There are three weeks remaining in the course, corresponding to three Concept Checks (WCC’s).
- Each student will have two attempts to complete each check, with the highest score counted.
- Each Concept Check will constitute 4% of the total grade.
- Emphasis on balancing Think-Pair-Share with real-world communication science in class interactions.

CMC: User-to-user communication that occurs through computer-based technology.

Web 1.0 (1989-2005):
- Focus: Read and retrieve; primarily a content delivery network.
Web 2.0 (2005-Present):
- Focus: Create and collaborate; involved participatory social networks.

Characteristics of Web 1.0:
- Mainly text-based with limited pictures.
- Reduced user-generated content, primarily through a “guest book.”
- Limited information integration from external sources.
Activity: Students are encouraged to review and jot down observations for 3 minutes regarding how Web 1.0 differs from current webpages.

Viewing sites like Ryan’s World in terms of Cues Filtered Out may lead to:
- Effective communication perspectives.
- Ineffective communication perspectives.

Discussion on personal internet and social media usage.
- Inquiry: Does the cues-filtered-out perspective apply uniformly, or are there exceptions?

Characteristics of Web 2.0:
- Second stage of the internet characterized by user-generated, interactive, and social platforms.
- Channels now have greater media richness, incorporating:
- GIFs
- Pictures
- Emojis
- Videos
- Sound
Emotional Expression Variance:
- Differences in tone based on contextual signals (examples given).
- Allows repeated interactions that lead to stronger relationships over time, as seen in online communities, dating apps, and "mutuals."

Definition: Counters the cues-filtered-out perspective by showing that CMC facilitates hyper-intimate communication.
Mechanics:
- Users manipulate and control impression formation by leveraging attributes of CMC to shape relationships based on communication goals.

Key Attributes:
- Editability:
- Users can select, revise, and remove self-related information for better presentation.
- Asynchrony:
- Allows for non-real-time posting, enabling more thoughtful self-presentation.
SSP Defined: A process where individuals choose which aspects of themselves to reveal in order to achieve specific goals or form a curated image, allowing for greater control.

Study by Hancock et al., 2007: Examined 80 online daters regarding their profile accuracy.
- Results indicated that 9 out of 10 participants misrepresented at least one factor (weight, age, or height).
Discussion Prompt: Motivations behind Selective Self Presentation in online dating contexts.

Example from MTV's Catfish:
- The character Carmen creates an idealized version of “Tony” which involves editing (ascynrony) to curate an attractive persona.
- Antwane's perception of Tony is formed based on limited cues, leading to idealization.
- Antwane may reciprocate with socially desirable information about himself, fostering exaggerated cues and a feedback loop.
Outcome: Increased intimacy in CMC contexts based on managed cues.

Students are prompted to reflect on their technology use, particularly social media, and to consider how they manage the ideal self versus the authentic self in real-life interactions.

Components:
- Profile: Represents personal identity (who we are).
- Informed by social norms and comparisons; venues for SSP.
- Network: Comprises who we connect with (who we follow).
- Engagements that create a feedback loop supporting ideal content.
- Stream: Shows what everyone else is doing.
- Facilitates observation and social comparison among users.

Concept of Social Capital:
- Benefits, resources, and opportunities accessed through social networks (e.g., friendships, professional affiliations).
- Emphasis on reciprocity in social interactions.
Derivation of Social Capital in Social Media:
- Influenced by network composition (strong vs. weak ties) and interaction types (direct messages, status updates, likes, comments, shares).

Inquiry into how social media acts as a source of social capital and how students utilize this functionality.

Profile:
- Venues for Selective Self Presentation (SSP).
- Informed by social norms; idealized self leads to self-esteem enhancement (Fox & Vendemia, 2016).
Network:
- Engagement generates feedback loops that enhance idealized content visibility through likes, comments, and shares.
Stream:
- Serves as a platform for observation and modeling behaviors and facilitates social comparisons across user content (upward or downward comparisons).

App 4: Due Friday.
Body Image Topic: Presentation next week, covering one reading without video.
Discussion on Documentary Watch: Scheduled for the following week.
Topic: Social Media and Well-being (week after). Discussion session will function as exam review.
Exam 2: Scheduled for April 15 in class; further details to follow.