Computer mediated communications

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In computer-mediated communication , people use computers to set up a data connection and to exchange messages and / or other communications. In this form of social relationship, the computers are networked as digital media through the Internet ( Internet communication , online communication ) or intranet and are used for communication . That is why we are talking about network-based communication .

History of Computer Mediated Communication

Communication media have existed from the beginning of human development (see media history ). The first computers were developed in the 1940s during the Nazi era and in the USA . From 1960 to 1970 the development of the Arpanet took place in the USA , see History of the Internet . The beginnings of computer-mediated communication are also dated to this period.

Definition of terms and characteristics

It turns out to be relatively difficult to define the term computer-mediated communication (CVK), as a large number of evolving forms have developed.

According to Trepte and Reinecke (2013), computer-mediated communication is an interactive process of creating, exchanging and receiving information with the help of computers that takes place between two or more people.

Jan Pelz (1995) sees computer-mediated communication as a generic term for various forms of application of electronic transmission, storage and retrieval of electronic messages by people via networked computers. Users send messages, for example in the form of an e-mail or a newsgroup post, to a network with various types of services (e.g. Internet , intranet ). Depending on the service, the messages are then either available to a greater or lesser number of recipients, or they are only forwarded to a specific recipient or to a group of recipients.

Joachim Höflich (1994) defines the CVK as follows: "CVK takes place primarily among hitherto strangers, that is, with people among groups of people with whom there has not been any social contact and may not follow (although this is not excluded)". An attempt is made here to define the term on the basis of the properties and features that are often the basis. There is already a big difference to direct communication, namely the theoretically unlimited number of users. With the previous forms such as letter , telephone or fax , usually only one communication partner could be reached.

Falckenberg (1994) also gives a description by characteristics:

  • Several to very many communication partners are possible.
  • Communication takes place among hitherto strangers.
  • The location of the communication partner does not matter.
  • Communication is almost always limited to a text.

Since gestures , facial expressions and other features of direct communication (English face-to-face communication) are missing, it is often viewed as a deficient and emotionless form of communication. Nicola Döring (1994), professor of media psychology and media conception, sees her as an addition to the existing media that appeals to a very differentiated audience. Stegbauer (1990) also sees the Internet and the e-mail service as a medium that is used for informal acquaintance with those interested in computers. In the meantime, computer-mediated forms of communication such as chat and e-mail no longer serve just to get to know each other anonymously, but complement the previous forms of communication from direct encounters with known people.

Further features are the independence from time and space boundaries , the almost limitless simulation of identities and the easy documentation of communication.

Theories of Computer Mediated Communication

In the following, a selection of theories according to Nicola Döring is presented, which deal with the special features of computer-mediated communication.

Channel reduction theory

The central statement of the channel reduction theory is that by excluding sensory channels through CMC (computer-mediated communication), communication is de-sensible. The replacement of the sensory channels used in face-to-face communication with other communication channels (e.g. the Internet) also plays a major role. The communication can e.g. B. by e-mail also take place with a time delay, asynchronously. Thus one can also speak of a delimitation. Human emotions cannot be adequately conveyed through CMC. That is why face-to-face communication is preferable to CMC. According to the channel reduction theory and due to the lack of sensory channels, CMC is deficient and impersonal compared to face-to-face communication. With this approach, face-to-face communication is seen as the optimum. As a result, the CMC only serves as a deficit form of communication. One point of criticism here is that the advanced technologies in the CMC not only enable face-to-face communication but also extensive interaction.

Filter theory

The filter theory addresses the concept of channel reduction. A reduction in communication channels leads to a loss of information, which changes the person's perception. Important components of face-to-face communication such as facial expressions, gestures or the emphasis on expressions (e.g. sarcasm) cannot be conveyed here. The focus of filter theory relates to the fact that the person does not know anything about the psychosocial background of the communication partner. A so-called leveling effect can occur through anonymity and pseudonymity; social inhibitions, controls, privileges and hurdles are broken down. This can have both a positive effect, increased openness, friendliness, etc., and a negative effect, increased hostility, anomie, etc. Another negative example is the fear of a subsequent face-to-face communication in which the previously optimized representation of the person cannot be maintained.

Such pro- and anti-social behavior can be ensured by this anonymity and open up room for maneuver in this regard. This anti-social and deviant behavior is known as flaming . In summary, the effects of filter theory can be described as thematized effects of equalization and anomie.

Rational media choice

The theories of rational media choice assume that people choose media according to their social presence (personal proximity) and media richness. Depending on the occasion and the addressee, different forms of communication are used in order to achieve maximum communication success (cost-benefit analysis). The aim is to find a match between the communication task and the social presence of the medium. With the right fit, media use cannot have any negative effects on communication.

Normative media choice

The theory of normative media choice assumes that media choices in everyday (business) life a. are transformed by operating competence and social norms and are not decided by individual cost-benefit considerations (rational media choice). Media reviews are socially constructed. In particular, the attribution of social presence is influenced by operating competence: People with more media experience rate computer-mediated communication as more lively and rich and use it to a greater extent. The usefulness evaluation of the environment influences one's own evaluation and use of the corresponding medium. Accordingly, various media-related communication disorders are possible, for example when certain media are used or pretended to be used for reasons of prestige or when they reject them on the basis of prejudice. In media assessments, one must therefore assume complex interactions.

Computer-mediated communication models

Building on these theories, two more modern models can be derived, which were described by, among others, Trepte and Reinecke.

Hyperpersonal Model (HPM)

The Hyperpersonal Model developed by Walther (1996) contains four components: a transmitter, a receiver, the channel and the feedback.

  • Sender and self-portrayal: In computer-mediated communication, those communicating are not able to hear or see one another. Furthermore, the exchange takes place with a time delay and text-based. The consequence of this is that the sender can selectively display and forward the information about himself that he has disclosed. This opens up the possibility for the sender to create a positive self-image of himself, in which, for example, the communication partner's attention is drawn to certain aspects of his personality.
  • Receiver: The self-image conveyed by the sender is reduced by the receiver to the information received. These are idealized and stereotyped at the same time. In this way, for example, a very positive impression of the station can be created.
  • Communication channel: According to Walther (2011), text-based communication makes it possible to express oneself more carefully and to actively influence one's own self-image, since other impressions that would arise in face-to-face communication with the conversation partner (e.g. blushing, body language ), are not transmitted at all.
  • Feedback: The sender's communication behavior is reinforced by positive or stereotypical feedback from the recipient, and the ascribed characteristics become part of the personality.

As one of the few models of computer-mediated communication, the hyperpersonal model also considers the effect on people after the actual communication has taken place.

Social Model of De-Individuation (SIDE)

See also: Deindividuation

As a second model, the social model of de-identification effects (SIDE model for short) can be cited.

There are two determining factors (determinants) on which this model is based:

  • Group membership: The basis for this is the theory of social identity. This differentiates between personal identity, in which certain actions can be traced back to one's own attitudes, and that of social identity, in which the actions depend on the particular group to which one belongs. Important phenomena here are
    • the social categorization: the measure for determining the different degrees of perception of belonging to a group and
    • homogenization: the fact that one overestimates one's own group and stereotypes others
  • De-individuation: The self-categorization theory forms the basis. The flowing transitions between personal and social identity are mentioned here. The best way to examine de-individuation is through anonymity; This means that the person to be examined does not know the communication partner. The opposite of this would be identifiability. Taking into account the factors mentioned, it is assumed that an interaction effect occurs. Accordingly, either personal or social identity is reinforced by anonymity.

In general, this model assumes that people behave differently in computer-mediated, anonymous communication than if they know and / or see their counterpart.

Social psychological aspects of computer-mediated communication

Basically, it can be stated that the CVK can have both positive and negative effects on the user. The elimination of space and time boundaries, for example, creates a new environment for users in which they can communicate with one another. In the opinion of some authors, this is actually creating a new society ( cyber society ), which represents a new field of research in terms of knowledge and group communication.

Replacement for non-verbal communication

The direct communication consists not only of the exchanged verbal messages, but also of an abundance of different non-verbal transmissions that provide the communication partners with important information about the state of mind, the current situation or what is to be expressed. On the basis of this additional information, further decisions can then be made that influence the course of the conversation. By eliminating this non-verbal part of communication, such as appearance, age, gender and so on, the user is missing an important part of direct communication. However, since this non-verbal part of communication is often very decisive for the course of a conversation, various substitute mechanisms have emerged. So-called emoticons are a widespread substitute for the verbal expression of one's own state of mind .

Another common and text-based means of expression is ASCII-Art ( American Standard Code for Information Interchange ). A symbol or an image is displayed from a specific arrangement of alphanumeric characters. ASCII art is generally more complex than emoticons. That is why it is not so common or is only used as a signature .

Internet users use sound and action words to compensate for the lack of paraverbal messages that exist in face-to-face communication and to underline their messages. These can be onomatopoeic expressions based on the comic language or so-called inflectives , which verbalize gestures, facial expressions or other (expressive) actions in short linguistic form without necessarily being onomatopoeic. Typical sound words are “* argh *” for anger, “* hmpf *” for outrage, “hihihi” for giggling or “BOOM!” For fright (from the English-speaking world).

Action words have the same function as sound words and are self-explanatory. They are formed from regressed infinitives. Examples are "* wink *", "* laugh *", "* amazement *", "* grin *", "* hand rub *" or "* puking *". Abbreviations and other terms from Internet jargon are often written in this form to represent states and emotions, although these are also used in Germany despite their English-speaking origin: "* lol *" for " laughing out loud ", "* Rofl *" for "roll on floor laughing" (I curl up laughing on the floor) and "* g *" for "grin".

The use of language in computer-mediated communication is the subject of research in Internet linguistics .

Self-disclosure on the Internet

A large part of the influencing of behavior is based on the sinking inhibition threshold. The user is usually in a familiar environment, communicates largely anonymously and is therefore at a much greater distance from the communication partner. The user can exchange ideas in a much more informal manner. Among other things, this means that more intimate conversations can develop much faster.

The following also raises the question of whether people in the CvK environment reveal more about themselves than in a personal conversation. Tidwell and Walther (2002) discovered that in CvK two people exchange more words than in face-to-face conversation. How profound the content of the conversation is, however, does not depend on the number of words. In a further comparison, with given, emotionalizing conversation contents, it was shown that people reveal more about themselves in the case of CvK (Joinson 2001). The intensity and type of openness at CvK in turn influences friendships on the Internet. Many and intensive contacts on the Internet result from credible and abundant self-disclosure (Valkenburg & Peter, 2009; Bane, Cornish, Erspamer & Kampman, 2010; McKenna, Green & Gleason. 2002).

Self-presentation on the Internet

The self-portrayal on the Internet is primarily controlled by one's own self-image. If the ideal idea is very different from the real self-image, people have a greater need to present themselves on the Internet and thus to control the impression they make on others (Trepte & Reinecke, 2013). With the internet a wider audience is reached and it becomes easier to present yourself. There are many different goals behind self-portrayal on the Internet. A distinction is made between material and social goals depending on whether successes in the further professional career or improvements in interpersonal relationships are to be achieved (Leary & Kowalski, 1990). Self-expression can take place in different contexts. Of course, social networks, homepages and casting shows are most often used for self-expression. On social networks and dating sites, lies are mainly used when creating profiles in order to present themselves in a better light. Toma, Hancock, and Ellison (2008) showed that weight, age, and height are most likely to be misrepresented in order to make yourself look more attractive and thus achieve a social goal.

Leary and Kowalski (1990) explain self-representation using the two-component model, which is made up of the two aspects “impression motivation” (motivation for self-expression) and “impression construction” (impression control).

Effects of anonymity

Special behaviors result from the anonymity assumed in the CVK , which is assumed to be real by most users:

For example, if the chat is considered, usually only a nickname is available as information. Further information can only be found through communication. Even if the person behind the nickname is known, part of the anonymity is retained and thus, in turn, insight can only be gained through the exchange of information.

Attacks on oneself are also felt to be less hurtful (see Döring, 1994). For Mantovani (1994), however, greater openness does not mean that anonymity must lead to a weakening of social norms and de-individualization. The social does not only exist outside of a person, but also inside a person and is also active when the person is sitting in front of a computer.

One behavior that arises from the distance and anonymity is so-called “ gender switching”. In computer-mediated communication, it is often easy to slip into the role of the opposite sex, to experience the reactions and to react to them. The identity can also be changed easily in other ways. Very often this behavior can be found in MUD players.

The great distance and the associated increased control over communication enables shy and insecure users to establish a desired conversation or to receive serious answers to questions asked.

However, behavior can also be negatively influenced. This leads to reactions that do not or only rarely occur in direct communication. For your own safety, the potential for aggressiveness increases, which is reflected, for example, in violent verbal battles, better known as flaming . The internet is used for camouflage in order to target others. Current opinions and points of view are written and sent much faster. The asynchronous form of communication also creates large amounts of unnecessary information and messages, for example because questions are asked that would have been answered by the message shortly afterwards. Misunderstandings also occur more frequently due to the not so eloquent language of the users. Due to the lack of non-verbal communication, it is often not possible for the other person to correctly interpret a statement. Sarcastic or ironic messages may only be identified as such using the aforementioned emoticons.

Personality traits

The question arises whether a technical development like the CVK can change certain human needs to such an extent that there is a clear change in their personality. However, it has been shown, for example, that the BTX system, which was widespread in the 1980s, did not prevent users from pursuing their basic needs, such as shopping for groceries or interacting with other people.

A survey that substantiates this finding was carried out by Kneer (1994). The table below shows a result of this survey, which was posted in 24 different newsgroups, with the question "How many communication partners have you met so far?"

Communication partner number percent
less than 5 87 30th
5-10 91 30th
more than 10 120 40
Communication partners found, Kneer (1994)

The result shows that the users cannot be said to be isolated, but that the CVK is expanding contacts.

A study by Döring should provide more detailed information. The 332 subjects consisted of 96% men between the ages of 20 and 30 years. Almost two thirds had a higher education and worked in the field of information technology . A standardized survey was answered, which was distributed both in printed form and in 15 different newsgroups.

The hypothesis that network users are particularly isolated and lonely could not be confirmed. The users were well integrated into society, 43% of whom had a steady relationship. There was also no reduction in contacts among MUD players and long-term network users. The often alleged statement that personal contacts would decrease due to network contacts could not be proven. Rather, it turned out that there was more of an expansion of contacts. In addition, communication via the network was mainly conducted with people with whom there was also direct communication.

In the question of whether network usage leads to more and more network usage, it turned out that after an initial euphoria, caused, for example, by the initial access to the Internet or an improvement in the connection, the usage time decreases again. A relatively constant useful life is then established. Since the CVK is to be seen as an extension of everyday activities and is also used, for example, for business activities, we cannot speak of an escape from reality in this context.

Forms of CVK

Graphic model of network-based communication

The most common way of categorizing computer-mediated communication is to distinguish between synchronous and asynchronous communication . However, there are other approaches to differentiation, e.g. B. according to the number of people involved (one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one and many-to-many CVK), according to the composition of the group and its communication goals or according to whether the communication is moderated or takes place unmoderated.

Asynchronous CVK

With asynchronous communication, space and time are overcome. This means that the transmitter and receiver do not need to be present at the same time, as is the case with synchronous communication. This has the disadvantage that the recipient's attention cannot be controlled. In return, asynchronous communication is often traceable even afterwards.

e-mail

The first e-mail was sent in 1971 by the technician Ray Tomlinson between two computers that were connected to one another via the ARPANET at the time. It was Tomlinson who defined the @ sign for sending e-mails. Eric Allman , who programmed Sendmail in 1981, took another important step . With this software it was only possible to send messages to different networks simultaneously with one mail program. E-mail communication is based on three protocols : SMTP for sending and POP3 and IMAP for receiving messages.

Email has become CVK's primary application today. A major advantage of e-mail over other asynchronous communication applications is the ability to edit, format and archive messages. Furthermore, the presence of the recipient is not necessary. The message stays on the provider's mail server and if the recipient's mail program is activated, the recipient can also access the message days later. Compared to a non-electronic form of message transmission, such as the post, e-mail has the advantage of being able to transmit a message to the recipient within a very short time over any route.

E-mail is also used very often for advertising mailings. This means that you can reach a large number of people with little effort and save yourself the printing and sending of advertising mail via the post. A big problem is that some dubious companies have an easy time finding an email address and send masses of advertising emails ( spam ).

Mailing lists

With the help of non-computer-mediated media, it is both time-consuming and financially expensive to reach a large audience. This has been made possible with the mailing lists or newsgroups . There are a very large number of mailing lists. These are sorted by topic. If you are interested in a topic, you can add yourself to the list with your email address. As soon as someone writes a new post, it sends it to a central distribution list. These mailing lists are mostly computer programs that receive the messages and automatically forward them to all registered e-mail addresses. Thus every participant receives the contribution.

Mailing lists are one of the asynchronous types of communication and have the advantage that the posts are automatically sent to their own mailbox and the recipient is in control of when to read the posts or which to delete. Mailing lists are usually public. However, there are also closed discussion groups. In order to be able to participate in these, a participant authorization must first be obtained from the administrator of this list. The administrator still has the option to filter contributions.

Registration usually takes place by sending an email to the relevant mailing list program. The self-written contributions are simply sent to the mailing list.

Mailing lists also have some disadvantages. So you never know about the quality and reliability of the list. Another disadvantage is that very busy lists lead to an information overload and it is difficult to filter out the right one. Another question that should be mentioned is how trustworthy such a mailing list is. You can't know that in advance.

Usenet

As the birth of Usenet the year is called 1978 because in selfsame a program called UUCP into the Unix - Operating system has been integrated. This program enables data to be exchanged over the telephone line.

Initially used primarily by researchers and students, the volume of data grew rapidly in the following years, and discussion groups were set up for all sorts of topics, since access was also open to people who were not involved in an ARPA project. In 1980, 15 computers were connected to Usenet, in 1985 already 1300. Today, practically all computers connected to the Internet have the option of using Usenet with its more than 15,000 newsgroups. In March 2003, around 30,000 postings with a size of over 50 megabytes were sent in the newsgroups of the Austrian hierarchy registered with Usenet.at .

The Usenet is a decentralized network for discussion: topics are not specified by any organizations or media outlets; The network regulates the interests of the people involved. In contrast to other media, there is also a return channel, which gives users the option of asynchronous interaction with other users. With Usenet, the return channel is not only complementary, but existential, i. H. every contribution made by a person is then available to all Usenet users, and as a whole they form the network.

With the Usenet, the user has one of the most efficient ways to obtain subject-specific information. The main reason for this is the hierarchical structure, which is finely structured. The most important meta groups are science (sci. *), Leisure activities (rec. *), Computers (comp. *), Social affairs (soc. *) Or news (news. *).

The groups of the alt. * Hierarchy also contain many discussion groups, but they also serve, among other things, for the exchange of documents, images or music data.

In addition, there is also a breakdown by country. The corresponding groups begin with the country abbreviations, which are also used in the DNS . For example at for Austria, de for Germany, ch for Switzerland or uk for Great Britain. In these country-specific newsgroups it is generally expected that "postings" are written in the language of the respective country. Questions in other languages ​​will be answered, but with a reference to the national language.

There are basic rules of conduct for use, the so-called netiquette , which specifies the guidelines for dealing with other people and technical details; however, these are not always enforceable.

The discussions are opened and conducted by the users, but no general statement can be made about the quality and truthfulness of the information offered.

Positive for this type of communication is the lack of advertising and commercial organizations. This and the many subjective opinions of users result in a quasi-objective view of services, products and technologies, which immediately reveal disadvantages and problems and thus protect other users from, for example, bad purchases.

The discussion lives from the users, the experts and the newbies, who exchange information about innovations, problems and calls for help. The question here is why experts make their knowledge available free of charge. This willingness to help is an extremely interesting aspect of human activity. With this virtual circle of acquaintances of people with the same interests, you can expect a helpful answer within minutes from well-frequented newsgroups.

Blog

The word weblog comes from English and is a cross between web and log. It is a website that periodically receives new entries. The activity of writing on a blog is called blogging. The first blogs came up in the mid-1990s. Services like Xanga , which came up in 1996, made it easy to create your own weblog, which at the time was mostly online diaries. This trend became more and more popular from the end of the 90s. Xanga grew from 100 blogs in 1997 to 20 million by 2005. In the new millennium, more and more companies used blogging and online media also discovered this trend and used it to expand their readership. There are different forms of blog, such as the election blog (for elections), the photo blog (photographs), the corporate blog (official blog of a company) and the video blog (contains video sequences). A blog contains different elements, such as entries, comments and links. A blog can have different functions. It can be used to pass on news and information at regular intervals. The knowledge can be exchanged. It is also used to maintain private and personal contacts. Presentations and your own work can be published and commented on.

A special form of blog are microblogs , which mostly function as a kind of public short message system.

additional

Web forums are asynchronous means of communication similar to Usenet or mailing lists, but communication takes place via a special website and is often moderated.

In social networks like Facebook , the participants form an online community that can communicate with one another not only in the form of private messages in the form of chats and e-mails, but also via public group discussions and, in particular, via personal pin boards. These pin boards act as an asynchronous means of communication, are assigned to a person, but can often be read by anyone and filled with messages.

Synchronous CVK

The synchronous communication bridges spatial distances. There are no time delays, apart from interference, which prevent error-free decoding . One advantage of synchronous communication is the simultaneous presence of sender and receiver. The sender can therefore be sure to have the recipient's attention. A disadvantage can be that (for example in a chat with several participants) different topics are discussed at the same time, so that it can be difficult to follow a conversation or a specific topic.

Chat

Chatting comes from the English and means to chat. It is one of the popular Internet services and one of the synchronous types of communication. The Finnish student Jarkko Oikarinen, who developed the IRC at the University of Oulu in 1988, helped the chatting break through . He wanted to create a real-time discussion platform. The IRC spread from Scandinavia to the USA. In 1989 there were 40 IRC servers worldwide with an average of twelve users each.

The publication of RFC 1459 "Internet Relay Chat Protocol" in 1993, which made the IRC protocol accessible to the public , had a major impact . In 1996 there was a split. The European servers split off from EFnet and formed the IRCnet . In terms of user numbers, IRCnet overtook EFnet as early as 2000. 70,000 users were involved in IRCnet and 50,000 in EFnet.

The IRC makes it possible to communicate with thousands of users simultaneously via the Internet. To avoid a single mess, the IRC is divided into channels. Each channel can have a freely selectable name. The channel name usually begins with a pound sign (#). It is also possible to set up private channels to keep unwanted users away. In the IRC everyone receives a nickname, which is freely selectable. The number of participants per channel is practically limited, as all messages are listed one below the other, and with a correspondingly large number of comments there would be little time for reading.

IRC works according to the client / server principle. The IRC consists of a worldwide network with a large number of servers. These are usually Unix workstations. All user data and messages are managed in this network. At the other end is the so-called client, the program with which the user gains access to the global network.

Over time, chatters have developed their own language. Often everything is written in lower case. The dialect is also often spoken. A string of punctuation marks, such as exclamation marks and question marks, is also very popular.

Synchronous and asynchronous communication can be linked via instant messaging . Conversations usually take place between two people, but often in groups. Participants present talk like in a chat, participants who are not present receive the messages later without having to be logged in at the IRC at the time the message is sent.

Multi user dungeon

A Multi User Dungeon (MUD) is a one-to-many communication channel. The term and abbreviation come from the role-playing world.

From a technical point of view, the first generation of MUDs functioned from a coupling of chat clients and games from the genre of role-playing games and text adventures . The text adventures consist of puzzles that the player can solve with combinations and detective work. Role-playing games transform the player into the character of one or more game characters and are similar to adventures in terms of structure and game objective. However, both types of game had a predetermined, pre-programmed game path, and there was no way to communicate with other people.

A MUD is typically a central computer that other players log into. Then the other players can choose a name and a character for their character, or create a new one. The player then uses this character to interact with the "dead" environment created by the game founder and with the other players. Depending on the type of MUD, the player can fight with the others, talk to each other, suggest ways to solve a particular problem, exchange information or ask questions.

The construct of the MUD is extremely interesting from a social point of view, as it represents a microcosm of the most varied of people. The possibility to form alliances with other alliances in order to protect oneself or to attack other players in order to gain an advantage and “win” is a mirror of our society.

What is special is that the MUD is always running, regardless of whether you play along personally or not. You cannot save a game in a MUD, if you get out, the MUD will continue to develop as the other users play. This always creates new scenarios to which the player has to adapt quickly the next time he joins in order to advance. That is why a MUD is also a hybrid of asynchronous and synchronous communication, while playing it is synchronous and from an exit to the game it is asynchronous because other players continue.

There are now other forms of online games, such as MMORPGs or browser games . In addition, many other computer games also offer an online multiplayer mode, which usually also contains a communication component. Multiplayer games that are played over a local network or that function through the direct coupling of two devices represent a possibility of computer-mediated communication without using the Internet.

Video conferencing

Another synchronous means of communication is video conferencing . It is possible that two or more people in geographically different locations can communicate synchronously with each other using sound and moving images.

Due to today's capacity, the private use of video conferencing has also become possible. If the transfer rate is low, the frame rate and sharpness of the moving areas are poor. However, as the data rate increases, the influence of movements is significantly less.

There are two types of video conferencing. That would be the desktop video conferences, which are installed directly on the workstation computer with a camera and microphone. This type of video conferencing is used by most home users. Second, the studio video conferences should be mentioned. Special rooms are set up for these in order to achieve a better quality. Because of this higher quality, broadband networks are used for transmission. In contrast to desktop video conferencing, studio video conferencing is mainly used by companies because of their higher costs, among other things.

Research by Telekom has shown that video conferences show a higher degree of discipline in conducting discussions. The number of interruptions and overlaps is therefore lower in video conferences than in normal face-to-face work sessions. Studies by scientists, however, claim exactly the opposite. Further differences between video conferences and face-to-face conferences are (Weinig, 1996; Meyer, 1999):

  • In video conferencing, there is often more talking to one another in less time. The reason for this is mainly due to the much shorter breaks in the conversation.
  • Participation in the conversation is more evenly distributed.
  • The frequency of non-verbal signs is also increased in video conferences.
  • Inexperienced participants in particular perceive video conferences as unnatural and there is a risk of frontier formation (local solidarity).
  • The quality of the developed solutions is partly better. However, there are also contrary findings in certain areas (for example: in technology).

For companies, but also for private individuals, the use of video conferencing has certain advantages:

  • A reduction in travel costs and travel time - this is especially true for routine meetings;
  • Greater flexibility and speed in the decision-making process;
  • Another advantage is the video component. It promises better (more lasting) memory performance and more effective communication and influence (compared to letters, telephone, e-mail etc.) through the availability of non-verbal signs that flow into the conversation.

As with most types of computer-mediated communication, there are not only advantages but also disadvantages or problems. Some of these problems with video conferencing would be (Fussel & Benimoff, 1995; Meyer 1999):

  • In video conferences, various communication problems arise, for example: the control of the right to speak is made more difficult without direct eye contact, due to the possible time delay and the lack of familiar gestures, it can lead to uncertainty among conversation partners or some options for action (side-by-side discussions).
  • There is no common physical and social context, which means that some universal action problems (e.g. greeting) can no longer be solved as usual.
  • Communication and action problems quickly lead to misunderstandings, some of which are deliberately ignored in order to avoid a certain amount of effort.

In summary, it could be said that video conferences have their own legality and, if these are observed, there are some advantages in communication. If the resulting advantages are more pronounced than the disadvantages, or if disadvantages can be compensated for in other ways, it makes sense to hold video conferences.

Internet telephony

Internet telephony or IP telephony ( Internet Protocol ) refers to telephoning over computer networks . Information typical for telephony, such as voice, is transmitted over a network. The connection can be established either via special telephone terminals or adapters.

history

The technology of voice transmission in computer networks goes back to the 1970s. Internet telephony as we know it today was not made possible until 1995 by the Israeli company Vocaltec . Initially, the quality of the voice transmission was very poor, which is why this innovation was initially not well received. Only with an improvement in technology in the new millennium did the demand increase. Internet telephony is very popular today, not least because of the introduction of the free software Skype in 2003.

Working principle

As with conventional telephony, the telephone conversation in IP telephony consists of three processes: 1. Establishing a connection, 2. Transferring calls, 3. Disconnecting. In order to establish a connection to the person you are talking to, the current IP address of the system must be known. The speech is recorded analogously with a microphone. The speech signals are then digitized, possibly compressed and finally transmitted in small packets over a network.

additional

Screen content can be shared via screen sharing , which is used, for example, for remote maintenance or the distributed holding of presentations. Groupware , software to support collaboration in a group over time or space, uses screen sharing as a possible communication channel alongside e-mail, chats, wikis and video conferences.

Differentiation of the CVK as a communication type

According to Kuhlen (2001), three different types of communication can be distinguished.

Type 1: Face-to-face communication (FTF / F2F) This form of communication takes place directly and immediately. The communication partner (s) are physically present. Such communication can e.g. B. take place in a coffee shop with friends. This communication takes place with linguistic, prosodic , non-verbal, haptic and social information and is hardly formalized.

Type 2: Face-to-file communication (FF) With this form of communication, information is exchanged on a one-way basis. For example, this type of communication occurs when reading a text without using a return channel and without sending feedback to the author or the author. This communication takes place without prosodic, haptic and social information. Furthermore, this type of communication is non-verbal and highly formalized.

Type 3: Face-File-Face-Communication (FFF) In face-file-face communication, information is exchanged and feedback is provided via a return channel. This is e.g. B. given on blogs or forums, since the authors can be addressed directly or indirectly about the content and feedback is provided. This communication takes place without prosodic and haptic information. Communication is non-verbal and social information can be known. This form of communication is formalized by conventions.

According to Kuhlen, CVK corresponds to type 3 (FFF).

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Margarete Payer : Computer-mediated communication. Chapter 1: Computer-switched communications (CMC) . 2003, First published: 1997
  2. ^ A b c Sabine Trepte, Leonard Reinecke: Medienpsychologie . Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 2013, ISBN 978-3-17-021438-5 , pp. 158 .
  3. ↑ Jan Pelz: Group work via computer - social psychological aspects of a comparison between direct communication and computer conference. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang Verlag, 1995, ISBN 978-3-631-48261-2 .
  4. ↑ JR Höflich : The computer as an "interactive mass medium" . 1994, Publizistik 39: pp. 389-408.
  5. ^ Nicola Döring
  6. ^ Sabine Trepte, Leonard Reinecke: Medienpsychologie . Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 2013, ISBN 978-3-17-021438-5 , pp. 164-173 .
  7. ↑ Dörthe Sontag: The modern means of communication and the dialogic principle . ibidem-Verlag, 2012, ISBN 978-3-89821-893-1 . - limited preview in the Google book search
  8. ↑ PopArt - Boom !!! Federal Ministry of Education and Women (Austria), January 27, 2016, accessed on January 24, 2018 .
  9. ↑ a b Trepte, S., Reinecke, L .: Medienpsychologie . Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 2013, p. 173-183 .
  10. ↑ Nicola Döring: Isolation and loneliness among network users? Public discussion and empirical data . Institute for Psychology, TU-Berlin, 1995