[Air-l] Observation, and texting in noisy places

[Holly Kruse]

As air-l list manager, although not really list content decision-maker, and
mostly lurker (I am a proud lurker on a few lists, including a huge one that
I founded almost 15 years ago and and on this one), I'd just like to say
that I think it would be super-nifty if we could cease and desist, at least
for a while, from all discussion of/comments about particular individuals
and their flaws and strengths.  I am very interested in the discussion of
online research interviews, in the general discussion of the etymology and
usage of terms like "lurker" and "troll," in the trends in landline vs.
mobile telephone usage, and in other substantive discussions.  With that in
mind, I found very interesting an article in today's Washington Post about
the growth of texting in noisy environments, like clubs, to communicate with
those with whom one is physically co-present:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/16/AR2007051600
649.html

I found myself thinking a bit about the use of texting in situations where
it would be totally fine to chat aloud with the co-present friend (as
opposed to in class or a meeting) but there may be environmental barriers.
And it made me curious about the research being done -- and just the
observations being made more generally -- on this phenomenon.

Holly


-- 
Holly Kruse
Faculty of Communication
The University of Tulsa
600 S. College Ave.
Tulsa, OK 74104
918-631-3845
holly-kruse at utulsa.edu
http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~holly-kruse