Hi! My name is Anneliese Schrotenboer and I am a senior majoring in Communication here at Cornell. I’ve decided to do a double concentration in Media Studies and Social Influence, because they both seemed so interesting, and I couldn’t really just pick one. Although I am a senior, this will only be my second year at Cornell. Last year I transferred from the warm and sunny Florida State University and even after a year here I’m not so sure I’m ready for another Ithaca winter. I just finished a great summer internship working for an in-house marketing department with a design and engineering firm in Florida. The experience has sharpened my interest in my field of study and has gotten me exited for what lies ahead after graduation.
I’ve always been extremely skeptical of online chatting, in fact despite years of pestering by my friends to get AIM I’ve only used the software twice…and even one of instances those was for a class related assignment. I do not understand why anyone would want to type up a whole conversation, when they can just talk. In addition, there is a complete loss of the human element when we converse though a computer mediated form. It is odd that people actually think that a colon and closed parentheses can even come close to replacing a human smile. Perhaps though am just too nostalgic about the value I put on an old fashioned face to face conversation. Also, the way people seem to trust so much on the internet is really scary, considering first time “chatters” know nothing about each other except for what is chosen to be told. In the additional article we had to read about Impression Formation in CMC the authors talk discuss that principal, which is called selective self presentation. Individuals can choose to portray likable and positive cues, and leave behind anything that may be less desirable.
Online chatting, which is my area of particular curiosity, takes place mainly in the synchronous environment on the Internet described by Wallace. However, online chatting can also take place in the asynchronous environment, because the dialogue between chatters does not necessarily have to be instantaneous; it could take place over time in the form of a discussion forum. I do not believe that another environment has to evolve to guarantee the longevity of online chatting, but that doesn’t mean that another environment won’t develop.
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Anneliese, I completely agree that something is lost when communication is only computer mediated and not face-to-face. However, I believe that sometimes it is easier to just send an instant message (IM). Being from Florida, it’s hard to keep in touch with friends; not knowing their daily schedules makes it difficult to time a telephone conversation and distance makes it impossible to meet in person. So, if I see they are online I’ll send them an IM to see if they are available. It’s quick and it’s free; who doesn’t love that? And more often than not the only time they are available is late at night, so having a conversation online is better as a courtesy to roommates or housemates. Even though I would love to be in the same place as my friends back home, it’s really not an option while I’m at school.
Hi Anneliese,
Hope you're ready for this winter! I'm from LA and accumulated a lot of winter clothes, scarves, gloves and boots over the past 3 years.
I agree online interactions can't measure up to face-to-face interactions. Perhaps that's why I dot my comversations with smiley faces ever other sentence. However, even talking on the phone loses a lot of cues. A friend mentioned how it feels odd to talk to me on the phone, because she can't determine my reaction without seeing the inaudible, slight turn of mouth. Leaving messages on AIM or online social networks such as facebook provides convenience. With East/west-coast time difference and schedule conflicts, leaving voicemails and playing phone tags can get tiresome.
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