Holly Blackstead

Chapter 10 Mediated Communication

Chapter 10 focuses on communication in respect to technology, specifically social media
networks. The author mentions a shift from the original focus of social media which was on
personal goals, to now assisting with professional goals. An example of this type of social media
network would be LinkedIn which helps individuals network with other professional individuals
in their field. Social media is still relatively new, so how did it become adopted by so many?
The diffusion of innovation and innovation decision process help explain how social
media has become a part of everyday life. The innovation process has 6 stages in order for the
innovation to take root. The first is knowledge about the new idea, object, or practice. The next is
persuasion in which the individual seeks out information. The decision stage is where the
benefits and costs of the innovation are weighed and the decision of whether to use it or not is
made. Implementation is the innovation is put to use. The last stages are confirmation and
adoption. The last stages are when the individual either decides to continue using the innovation
or not. If the individual decides not to pursue it is either replacement discontinuance or
disenchantment rejection. Twitter is an innovation that I practice disenchantment rejection. I
used twitter for about three or four years, but become bored of it. I stopped using Twitter all
together.
Question: Do all innovations eventually become disenchantment rejections?
Why are some innovations adopted but not others? The ability of an innovation to be
adopted depends on the relative advantage it brings to users. The other factors that influence
innovation are compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability.
Question: How do the factors that influence the adoption of innovation relate to the expectations
violations theory?
The time it takes and innovation to be adopted can also be measured. There is a big focus
on the critical mass, which is the number of people using the innovation. Critical mass would
refer to the time point in which the early majority and later majority enter the market. In order
for the critical mass to adopt the innovation it is important to gain the innovators and early
adopters of the market quickly. Another way innovation adoption is measured is through the rate
of adoption. The rate of adoption could also refer to the product life cycle. The rate of adoption
“is the speed with which individuals adopt the innovation.” It has a focus on the different types
of users in the market and the time period in which they being using the innovation.
The chapter then switched to focus on a social network analysis. The analysis focuses on
mapping out communication patterns, and looks at the links between network members. There
are four network attributes taken into account during a network analysis. These include network
mode, content of messages, density, and level of analysis. An analysis also looks at the nature of
the connections between the network members. This is assessed though strength, direction,
symmetry, frequency, stability, mediation. And multiplexity. The last factor in a network
analysis focuses on roles. The different roles an individual can take on would be an isolate,
gatekeeper, bridge, liaison, or star. I think it would be interesting to see the differences in
network analysis between Instagram and LinkedIn, considering they meet different goals.
The media richness theory argues that “as new communication technologies develop, the
decision about the best way to send a message become more complex.” Media richness is the
center of the theory and it focuses on the speed of feedback, ability to personalize the message,
availability of multiple cues, and language variety. Face to face interaction is the richest medium
based on these factors. Another consideration of the theory is how ambiguous the message is. I
find this very interesting because communication through technology (text messages, social
media), nonverbal communication is lost. Due to the fact that nonverbal communication is where
80% of meaning is derived from, I think technology can cause much miscommunication. I’ve
had many instances in which I am communication with somebody over text and I think the
person is saying one thing but they actually mean something else. This is why many people in
romantic relationships would rather speak about serious issues in person.
The last theory discussed in regard to mediated communication is the uses and
gratifications theory which looks at why individuals use a particular media. The first assumption
of the theory is that we use media to fulfil certain goals and needs. The second is mass
communication is not something that just happens to you, individuals make a conscious decision
to make a media choice. The last assumption is that media competes with other channels of
satisfying personal needs. The motivations that drive us to use media are entertainment,
information, personal identity, and personal relationships or social interaction.
I think the most interesting factor is the construction of personal identity. I think this the
biggest motivator for some people with self-confidence issues. Social media allows individuals
to pick and choose exactly what they want to display about themselves. Individuals construct an
identity online that they believe is most desirable.
Question: What would be a face threatening act to one’s digital identity?