[Air-L] Social Presence Theory - latest studies?

[Pam Brewer]

Andrew--

I welcome comments on the following views as I have not made a study of 
social presence as many have.  I view such concepts as symbolic 
interactionism, phenomenology, and ethnomethdology (as you outline them) 
more as theories and methods of social construction than social 
presence. I do see how symbolic interactionism (via Blumer) supports an 
effective presence.  When I consider social presence in the virtual 
workplace, I think of Walther and his social information processing 
theory (SIP) as well as media richness. Walther says that when enough 
time is allowed, CMC, which is slower than face-to-face communication, 
displays the same potential for interpersonal communication 
affordances.  In other words, though it takes time, people are able to 
adapt their communication to the online space in such a way that the 
online space offers an equal potential for interpersonal communication. 
They often use multiple media to achieve effective presence with this 
potential.

Best,
Pam

Pamela Estes Brewer
Assistant Professor
Department of English
Appalachian State University
phone 828-262-2351
fax  828-262-2133
email  brewerpe at appstate.edu



Andrew Herman wrote:
> I am very interested in this thread but also find the subject a bit befuddling.  Aren't almost all interpretive social theories of the 20th century (symbolic interactionism, phenomenology, , ethnomethdology, etc.) theories of social presence? There have been volumes upon volumes of work rooted in these traditions dealing with cmc sociality and identity. Or is the subject here a new and coherently distinctive kind of social theory that is specific to virtual environments?
>
> Andrew Herman, Ph. D.
> Associate Professor
> Department of Communication Studies
> Wilfrid Laurier University
> Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5
> CANADA
> 519 884-1970 x3693
>   
>>>> Pam Brewer <brewerpe at appstate.edu> 12/08/08 9:05 AM >>>
>>>>         
> Jennie--
>
> Here are a few of the sources I have found useful in my research on 
> international virtual workplaces.  Each addresses social presence theory 
> in some aspect.  Some of these are a bit dated but significant (e.g., 
> Ma).  I included Walther though you have probably already pulled his 
> resources.
>
> Best,
> Pam
>
> Cho, H.-K., Treir, M., & Kim, E. (2005). The use of instant messaging in 
> working relationship development:  A case study [Electronic Version]. 
> Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 10, from 
> http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol10/issue4/cho.html
>
> Ma, R. (1996). Computer-mediated conversations as a new dimension of 
> intercultural communication between East Asian and North American 
> college students. In S. C. Herring (Ed.), Computer-Mediated 
> Communication:  Linguistic, Social and Cross-Cultural Perspectives (pp. 
> 173-185). Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
>
> Nowak, K. L., Watt, J., Walther, J. B., & (2005). The influence of 
> synchrony and sensory modality on the person perception process in 
> computer-mediated groups [Electronic Version]. Journal of 
> Computer-Mediated Communication, 10, 28. Retrieved July 11, 2006, from 
> http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol10/issue3/nowak.html
>
> Priest, H. A., Stagl, K. C., Klein, C., & Salas, E. (2006). Virtual 
> teams:  Creating context for distributed work. In C. A. Bowers, S. E & 
> F. Jentsch (Eds.), Creating High-Tech Teams (pp. 185-212). Washington 
> D.C.: American Psychological Association.
>
> Thompson, L. F., & Coovert, M. D. (2006). Understanding and developing 
> virtual computer-supported teams. In C. Bowers, E. Salas & F. Jentsch 
> (Eds.), Creating high-tech teams (pp. 213-241). Washington D.C: American 
> Psychological Association.
>
> Utz, S. (2000). Social information processing in MUDs:The development of 
> friendships in virtual worlds [Electronic Version]. Journal of Online 
> Behavior, 1, 25. Retrieved March 10, 2006, from 
> http://www.behavior.net/JOB/v1n1/utz.html
>
> Walther, J. B. (1996). Computer-mediated communication:  Impersonal, 
> interpersonal and hyperpersonal interaction. Communication Research, 
> 23(3), 3-43.
>
> Pamela Estes Brewer
> Assistant Professor
> Department of English
> Appalachian State University
> phone 828-262-2351
> fax  828-262-2133
> email  brewerpe at appstate.edu
>
>
>
> Jennie Hwang wrote:
>   
>> Dear Colleagues,
>>
>> I am starting a literature review on social presence (esp. in relation 
>> to new communication technologies, such as cell phones, text 
>> messaging, chat programs, etc.). Hence, I am trying to find good 
>> academic texts that present the history of research on this topic, 
>> current trends, and suggestions for future research. Does anyone know 
>> some good texts with which I can start?
>>
>> Please feel free to contact me if you have any interesting suggestions.
>>
>> Thank you,
>> jennie
>>
>>
>> |
>> jennie hwang, phd
>> assistant professor, communication studies
>> cal poly, san luis obispo
>> 805/756-2289
>> |
>>
>>
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