About Face Threat: An Analysis of Negative Behaviors in Computer-mediated Communication

About Face Threat: An Analysis of Negative Behaviors

in Computer-mediated Communication

Marie L. Radford, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Rutgers University ([email protected])

 Jocelyn A. DeAngelis, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, Rutgers University

([email protected]) 

Gary P. Radford, Ph.D., Professor, Fairleigh Dickinson University([email protected])

 Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, OCLC

New York State Communication AssociationOctober 21-23, 2011

Virtual Reference (VR)

o Web-based chat & instant messaging (IM) CMC reference services

o VR encounters capture full transcript of interaction between reference librarian & user

o VR interactions complex & fraught with possibility of misunderstandings & miscommunications

Interaction Ritual: Essays on Face-to-Face Behavior

Erving Goffman1922-1982

“On Face-Work: An analysis of Ritual Elements in Social Interaction” (1967)

Face-Work “Much of the activity occurring during

an encounter can be understood as an effort on everyone’s part to get through the occasion and all the unanticipated and unintentional events that can cast participants in an undesirable light, without disrupting the relationships of the participants”

(Goffman, 1967, p. 41)

Face Defined• Positive social value person claims

• Self-image in terms of approved social attributes

Face-Work in Encounters

• Face is located in flow of eventso Feelings about face reinforced by

encounterso If better face established – feel goodo If expectations not fulfilled – feel bad or

hurtoNeutral experience – expected, not

memorable

Face Threat = Negative Face-work

Face Threato Communication threatens face of interactants

Typeso Losing Face

• Person caught in embarrassing or damaging position (e.g., in a lie or inappropriate behavior)

o Wrong Face or Out of Face• Experience shame • Possible to maintain confidence, if others cover (e.g.,

one makes faux pas & others pretend not to notice)• Poise is ability to conceal wrong face or out of face

Face-Work in VR

• Goffman provides powerful frame to analyze VR encounters

• Face & face-work appear in flow of transcript (event)

• Analysis identifies instances or lack of face-work

Methodology• Data from Institute of Museum & Library Services Grant of

$684,996

• “Seeking Synchronicity: Evaluating Virtual Reference services from user, non-users, and librarian perspectives”

o Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and OCLC, Online Computer Library Center, Inc.

o Project duration: 2 ½ Years (10/05-3/08)

o 4 phases including transcript analysis

Sample Selection• 850 VR transcripts randomly selected from 479,673

transcripts (8/04-11/06)

• 746 usable transcripts qualitatively analyzed & coded

• 1 transcript selected to illustrate face-threats in VR

• “Physics” - “The Accelerating Bumper Car”Duration: 17 min., 8 sec.

Conclusion• Goffman offers powerful way to gain insights into

VR practice & understanding of interpersonal dynamics in CMC

• Physics transcript analysis reveals, similar to the FtF environment, importance of face-work, e.g., politeness rituals

• Expressions of deference & demeanor (Goffman, 1956), are important to success of VR encounters

Future Research• Many questions involving participant’s perception

of these interactions remain unanswered

• New grant: “Cyber Synergy” (10/11-9/13) for $250K

• Next analyze 500+ transcripts from 2010

• Developing theoretical model based on Goffman

End Notes• This is one of the outcomes from the project

Seeking Synchronicity: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services from User, Non-User, & Librarian Perspectives

• Funded by IMLS, Rutgers University, & OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc.

• Web site: http://www.oclc.org/research/activities/synchronicity/default.htm

Questions & Comments?