CMC, F2F, and Personality

Is CMC a richer form of communication than face-to-face?

Face-to-face communication is a medium that I would once say that I always preferred. Since beginning my online education at Gonzaga, my view has been altered because of the friendships I have been able to form and the conversations I have been a part of. Depending on the type of CMC, I would venture to say that it can be a richer form when compared to face-to-face communication in some instances. This is due to the ability to “see” the person with such technologies as Skype or the ability to “see” emotions through emoticons or netspeak. Chatting in virtual chat rooms or through instant messaging is also a rich environment where a person can have a conversation with many people at once, from the comfort of their home behind a computer. It gives many people the confidence to speak when they may be less likely in face-to-face situations.

What is lacking in CMC is the ability to detect hostile words or those perceived to be hostile by the receiver. Using the Box BT6:4: Multiple Perspectives on Flames (Thurlow et al, 2004, p.74), as a guide, it is easy to discern where messages seem to get mixed. If a message is unclear, then it may be easier to misinterpret words. This is especially true if sender and receiver are not familiar with each other or with the respective style of writing and therefore, one can easily become withdrawn, confused, or angry.

To what extent is your Internet personality a construction?

Recently, I have started writing true stories from my life on my family blog. My personality can be seen everywhere –from the pictures I post and the font I use to the wallpaper that lines the background (p.99). While my online personality and real-life one are synonymous, I do practice varying “degrees of anonymity” (p.62).

I have seen firsthand the advantages and disadvantages of anonymity on the Internet. Because I keep a family blog, I am very careful of a few facts. I never state full names and I do not publish where I live. In this case, I want to preserve my sense of safety and security, especially since I have a small child. It may seem like a contradiction in the sense that I am putting a lot of information for all to see while being mindful of revealing too much.

On the positive side, the site allows for a creative outlet to reveal personal stories or anecdotes, all of which I would share face to face with another person if they were interested. It is a way to connect with family, friends, and strangers and enhance “comradeship” and “inspiration” over common ground, such as motherhood (p. 59).

I am also very aware that people leave rude anonymous comments on such sites because they feel safe behind the computer screen (p.62). As the site administrator, I have attempted to thwart such attacks by approving all comments before they are published on the site. This is an attempt of controlling some form of my online identity. “The fact is, however, that identity isn’t only a matter of what we think about ourselves or what we tell others about ourselves. Other people too have a say in our social identity…” (p. 96).

Thurlow, C., Lengel, L., & Tomic, A. (2004). Computer mediated communication: Social interaction and the Internet. London: SAGE.