[Air-l] Theoretical Approaches to CMC Research

[Yvonne Waern]

I have a couple of favourite theories.
	Activity theory, originally from Leontev in the 20's. This 
looks at human activity in a social context. Computers may in 
activity theory be seen as a means to work towards an object. The 
object may vary, and there is often conflict between various actors 
involved in the same activity (this is from Yrjoe Engestroem)
	Distributed cognition. cognition is not only within the head 
of a particular person. Instead, cognition is distributed over people 
and artefacts. This theory is rather similar to the activity theory, 
but DC is more favoured in San Diego than activity theory.
	Cultural theory - I guess many people on this list belong to 
this very amorphous collection of ideas, called theory. As far as I 
understand it is a kind of humanistic theory, more turned towards 
critical analysis of human activity, in particular with respect to 
media (not as mediating activity, but as mass communication, for 
instance).

Let's see what you get more!
Yvonne





>As I wrestle with how to approach a research project involving CMC, 
>I'm curious as to what types of theoretical approaches researchers 
>on this list use when studying CMC.  What are some of your 
>"favorite" theories with respect to CMC?  Thank you!  JS
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Dr. Jamie S. Switzer
>Assistant Professor
>Department of Journalism and Technical Communication
>Colorado State University
>Fort Collins, CO  80523-1785
>970.491.2239
>fax 970.491.2908
>jamie.switzer at colostate.edu
>
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-- 
Yvonne Wærn, Professor em, PhD.
Department of Communication Studies,
Linköping University
SE 581 83 Linköping