User:Llsusie/sandbox

Hyperpersonal Model occurs when individuals are communicating via computers, which is called computer-mediated communication (CMC), instead of interacting face-to-face. In this way, individuals have a chance to rethink, edit, and censure before conveying message to others, ensuring that they can interact with other in a desired way.

According to Walther's research(1996), the study of CMC went through three phases: from impersonal, to imterpersonal, and finally to hyperpersonal. First, because the CMC shows no nonverbal cues, some argued that CMC was more task-oriented than was FtF. The reasons are: 1) The concentration on the content of communication will not be distracted by social or emotional influences, so that CMC can “promote rationality by providing essential discipline.” 2) CMC is also advantageous in group decision making since it avoids the influence of pressure of peers and status. 3) CMC can facilitate the efficiency of group work since it saves time when irrelevant interpersonal influence decreases. 4) Group members can enjoy more “democratic” atmosphere in CMC than that in FtF communication. In addtion, anonymity, which can result in more freedom for members to verbalize without feeling pressure from high-status members, is one of the most important features of CMC.

Then, Walther stated that CMC is not always impersonal; instead, it can also develop social relationships. Although, there is less social information exchange in CMC because of the absence of nonverbal cues, as the communication time increases, the exchange of social information is increasing accordingly. And the anticipation of future communication may make communicators to look for more information about the other. This mechanism leads to similar immediacy, similarity, composure, and receptivity as in FtF communication. However, there is a shortcoming. Since it takes time for CMC to achieve consensus, if the time for CMC is limited, the information exchanged will be much less than do FtF, which may impact the efficiency of group work.

Finally, Walther brought up the concept of hyperpersonal communication, which demonstrates that “CMC that is more socially desirable than we tend to experience in parapllel FtF interaction.” He made this argument in four apects of the communication process: receivers, senders, characteristics of the channel, and feedback processes.

SIDE Model

SIDE model is a recent development of deindividuation theory, refers to social identity/deindividuation model. It demonstrates that it is that the property of group identity increases, rather other that individual identity loses, that leading to the occurring changes of CMC users. SIDE model predicts that in CMC, the sense of self diminishes, while the sense of group increases. SIDE model is distinguished from classical deindividuation theory which put its focus on the sense of self rather than the sense of group identity.

Difference between CMC and FtF

In face-to-face communication, physical features such as appearance, facial expressions, gesture and postures is exposed to others, which can help to convey nonverbal information to help with the communication. Those nonverbal languages are the cues that lack in CMC Communication. Some argue that the lack of nonverbal cues in CMC may diminish the fostering and management of impression on others.