The Rules of Virtual Groups: Trust, Liking, and Performance in Computer-Mediated Communication

2005 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 828-846 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph B. Walther ◽  
Ulla Bunz
Keyword(s):  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Virtual Groups ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
And Performance

Theatre in Second Life® Holds the VR Mirror up to Nature

2011 ◽  
pp. 376-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Schrum
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Second Life ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Creative People ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Physical Presence ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Definition Of

As creative people inhabit virtual worlds, they bring their ideas for art and performance with them into these brave new worlds. While at first glance, virtual performance may have the outward trappings of theatre, some believe they don’t adhere to the basic traditional definition of theatre: the interaction between an actor and an audience. Detractors suggest that physical presence is required for such an interaction to take place. However, studies have shown that computer mediated communication (CMC) can be as real as face-to-face communication, where emotional response is concerned. Armed with this information, the author can examine how performance in a virtual world such as Second Life may indeed be like “real” theatre, what the possibilities for future virtual performance are, and may require that we redefine theatre for online performance venues.

Mobile Applications as Mobile Learning and Performance Support Tools in Psychotherapy Activities

2011 ◽  
pp. 285-297
Author(s):  
Maria Luisa Perez-Guerrero ◽  
Jose Maria Monguet-Fierro ◽  
Carmina Saldaña-Garcia
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Mobile Learning ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Patient Empowerment ◽  
Psychotherapy Process ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Support Tools ◽  
And Performance

The purpose of the chapter is the analysis of mobile applications as performance and informal learning support tools that facilitate the development of the psychotherapy process. The “e-therapy” has become a common term to refer the delivery of mental health services, on-line or related to a computer mediated communication between a psychotherapist and the patient. Initially, a background on e-therapy will be provided through the analysis of the existing related literature, the description of the state of the art. After this general view as starting point, the “self-help therapy”–a kind of e-therapy where the concept of patient empowerment is important– will be exposed to depict the importance of patient activities beyond the clinical settings in the rehabilitation process. Then, the integration of mobile devices in the psychotherapy process will be explained considering how their technological features support patient therapeutic activities like behavior assessment and informal mobile learning. The relation of the mobile devices with psychotherapist work activities such as evidence gathering and patient monitoring will also be explained. The chapter follows with a discussion on the mobile learning practices as a source of potential strategies that can be applied in the therapeutic field and finally a set of recommendations and future directions are described to explore new lines of research.

The Language of Leaders

2011 ◽  
pp. 232-250
Author(s):  
Simeon J. Simoff ◽  
Fay Sudweeks
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
Emergent Leadership ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Communication Behaviors ◽  
Virtual Groups ◽  
Educational Environments ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Groups And Teams

Virtual teams and their leaders are key players in global organizations. Using teams of workers dispersed temporally and geographically has changed the way people work in groups and redefined the nature of teamwork. Emergent leadership issues in computer-mediated communication are vital today because of the increasing prevalence of the virtual organization, the flattening of organizational structures, and the corresponding interest in managing virtual groups and teams. This chapter examines the communication behaviors of participants in two different case studies to determine if number, length, and content of messages are sufficient criteria to identify emergent leaders in asynchronous and synchronous environments. The methodology used can be embedded in collaborative virtual environments as a technology for identifying potential leaders in organizational and educational environments.

Perceived Behaviors of Emergent and Assigned Leaders in Virtual Groups

2008 ◽  
pp. 1096-1110
Author(s):  
Kathryn R. Wickham ◽  
Joseph B. Walther
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Behaviors ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Leadership Theories ◽  
Online Groups ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Virtual Groups ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Group Members ◽  
The Impact

While considerable research has explored perceptions of groups and members in computer-mediated communication (CMC), and leadership behaviors in face-to-face groups, little research has examined how leadership is identified in CMC groups. Contemporary CMC theories alternatively stress the impact of salient, stereotyped roles on CMC groups’ perceptions, or the accretion of exaggerated impressions based on behavioral cues. These perspectives, in turn, coincide with predictions about the predominance of alternative forms of leadership: Assigned versus emergent. This study draws on traditional leadership theories from face-to-face group research and applies them to CMC to examine dynamics related to assigned and emergent leaders in online groups. The results of the study demonstrate that CMC groups may identify more than one leader. When identifying emergent leaders, regardless of whether a leader was assigned or not, group members consider perceived amounts of communication, intelligence, and encouraging and authoritarian behaviors.

An Agent–Based Model of the Impact of Computer–Mediated Communication on Organizational Culture and Performance: An example of the Application of Complex Systems Analysis Tools to the Study of CIS

2006 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 272-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrique Canessa ◽  
Rick L. Riolo
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Local Mode ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

Organizations that make use of computer information systems (CIS) are prototypical complex adaptive systems (CAS). This paper shows how an approach from Complexity Science, exploratory agent-based modeling (ABM), can be used to study the impact of two different modes of use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) on organizational culture (OC) and performance. The ABM includes stylized representations of (a) agents communicating with other agents to complete tasks; (b) an OC consisting of the distribution of agent traits, changing as agents communicate; (c) the effect of OC on communication effectiveness (CE), and (d) the effect of CE on task completion times, that is, performance. If CMC is used in a broad mode, that is, to contact and collaborate with many, new agents, the development of a strong OC is slowed, leading to decreased CE and poorer performance early on. If CMC is used in a local mode, repeatedly contacting the same agents, a strong OC develops rapidly, leading to increased CE and high performance early on. However, if CMC is used in a broad mode over longer time periods, a strong OC can develop over a wider set of agents, leading to an OC that is stronger than an OC which develops with local CMC use. Thus broad use of CMC results in overall CE and performance that is higher than is generated by local use of CMC. We also discuss how the dynamics generated by an ABM can lead to a deeper understanding of the behavior of a CAS, for example, allowing us to better design empirical longitudinal studies.

Sense of Virtual Community

2011 ◽  
pp. 101-115
Author(s):  
Blanchard ◽  
Blanchard
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Virtual Groups ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
To Come ◽  
Or Organization

Sense of virtual community is an important component of successful virtual communities. Defined as members’ feelings of belonging, identity, and attachment with each other in computer-mediated communication, sense of virtual community distinguishes virtual communities from mere virtual groups. Sense of virtual community is believed to come from members’ exchange of social support as well as creating their own identity and learning the identity of others members. It is believed to lead to positive outcomes such as increased satisfaction and communication with the virtual community as well as to greater trust and social capital in the larger face-to-face community or organization. Future research will be able to further develop the theoretical and empirical contributions of sense of virtual community in computer-medication communication research.

Perceived Behaviors of Emergent and Assigned Leaders in Virtual Groups

2009 ◽  
pp. 50-64
Author(s):  
Kathryn R. Wickham ◽  
Joseph B. Walther
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Behaviors ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Leadership Theories ◽  
Online Groups ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Virtual Groups ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Group Members ◽  
The Impact

While considerable research has explored perceptions of groups and members in computer-mediated communication (CMC), and leadership behaviors in face-to-face groups, little research has examined how leadership is identified in CMC groups. Contemporary CMC theories alternatively stress the impact of salient, stereotyped roles on CMC groups’ perceptions, or the accretion of exaggerated impressions based on behavioral cues. These perspectives, in turn, coincide with predictions about the predominance of alternative forms of leadership: Assigned versus emergent. This study draws on traditional leadership theories from face-to-face group research and applies them to CMC to examine dynamics related to assigned and emergent leaders in online groups. The results of the study demonstrate that CMC groups may identify more than one leader. When identifying emergent leaders, regardless of whether a leader was assigned or not, group members consider perceived amounts of communication, intelligence, and encouraging and authoritarian behaviors.

Sense of Virtual Community

2011 ◽  
pp. 325-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Blanchard
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Virtual Groups ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
To Come ◽  
Or Organization

Sense of virtual community is an important component of successful virtual communities. Defined as members’ feelings of belonging, identity, and attachment with each other in computer-mediated communication, sense of virtual community distinguishes virtual communities from mere virtual groups. Sense of virtual community is believed to come from members’ exchange of social support as well as creating their own identity and learning the identity of others members. It is believed to lead to positive outcomes such as increased satisfaction and communication with the virtual community as well as to greater trust and social capital in the larger face-to-face community or organization. Future research will be able to further develop the theoretical and empirical contributions of sense of virtual community in computer-medication communication research.

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