A relationship that I have had that has involved a substantial amount of mediated communication is actually still on-going. While I am here, at Cornell, my relationship with my family is quite mediated since I am from a different country: Canada. My family and I will correspond to each other via email, the phone, and the most recent way we talk is via text messaging (My parents just learned how to do it). I will be sitting in the library and all of a sudden I get a text message from my mom saying “how r u”: this is just one example.
McKenna’s relationship facilitation factors play a role in the way we communicate while I am at school in two forms: “interactional control” and “connecting to similar others”. Interactional control relates to how people converse with each other by how they choose how to present themselves, choosing the medium in which they use to talk with someone, and choosing the way they wish to present themselves through their communication methods. While connecting to similar others pertains to the common ground principle, how people can easily identify with each other; along with how people can connect across space and time and now how people can even connect to social networks (for instance: Facebook).
Regarding interactional control my family and I will choose the type of medium we feel is appropriate at the time since we understand that each other is busy and may not necessarily know what the other is up to and also the importance of the message. Emails have been used to remind me of things or bring longer sets of information to my attention, keeping me up to date with what is going on at home. While phone calls are for when the message is urgent or important or my family and I have set a time where we can just talk since it may have been a few weeks since we have. Lastly, my parents just started to text message and they will just send me messages throughout some days just to see how I am doing or to talk – this way I can respond back when I can just like email but in a far quicker manner. McKenna also talks about connecting to similar others and I feel this also pertains to my relationship with my family while I am at Cornell because not only do we share common ground on many things and can easily identify with each other, since I have been with them my whole life and they have known me all mine, but primarily how we can connect across space and time. My father works a lot all around the world and yet I will be able to receive messages from him and respond back when it is convenient with me without having to set up a time to talk or meet up which is helpful because then we are all able to keep in contact without having to be up at ridiculous hours or drive/fly to see each other.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
BGilbert,
I really enjoyed your post. I never realized how relationships with one's family could fall into the realm of mediated communication. I think that it has become so second nature to talk to parents over the phone, or in your case via text message, that we often forget that we aren't face to face. I know with me I talk to my mother on the phone almost everyday. It feels like she is with me on campus because the conversation is similar to what we would have had had she been directly in front of me.
With respect to the theories you mentioned. I think that you are correct in finding a parallel with interactional control. Indeed, it is important to choose the right kind of medium depending on who your receiver is as well as what is convenient for the parties involved. One can assume that if one desired to communicate with say a grandmother, who was not familiar with text messaging, a different medium would be used.
My only problem is that I failed to see a connection with "connecting to similar others". Maybe I missed it, but I did not feel like it was expressed as clear as the interactional control.
That’s awesome that your parents are in tune with technology. My parents have just upgraded from the Motorola StarTac that was popular about what, 10 years ago? Props to your parents for being up to date on that stuff! Mine definitely are not.
You mentioned interactional control in your post. Do you think another reason that you and your parents only communicate through these methods (i.e.: texting, telephone, email, etc.) because of the ease it takes to use each one? I know you could even use videoconferencing but that would be hard to set up it seems from your family’s drastically different time schedules.
You mentioned connecting to similar others in your post, but I thought that is described as something else. Since you already have a relationship with your parents, does this not negate this effect? I might have misunderstood what you meant, but I was just looking for some clarification.
Hi BGilbert,
I liked your use of McKenna’s theories. First, you explained the theory of “interactional control” by stating that you and your family chose how to present yourselves and the nature of your messages by selecting the media you believe to be the most appropriate in that moment, context or environment. I find it interesting that in between classes, you will chose to text you parents while if you have more time you will email them. Similarly, depending on the type of issue you might chose to talk to them on the phone rather than typing up a note. I do the same thing with my parents, even though they live in the U.S.
Second, you mentioned “connecting to similar others”. As you mentioned, your parents have known you your entire life, meaning that there isn’t a need for you to justify or explain your actions. This makes it easier to communicate and to keep up with each other’s lives. It’s great that technology has provided an easy medium through which to talk to your father even when he is traveling around the world. I know that sometimes I find it difficult to get in touch with my dad, and he is just in New Jersey, so I understand how technology helps you there.
Thank you for your comments: they have been helpful. I see that a number of you are not sure why I put up McKenna’s theory about “connecting to similar others” because they are my parents and I obviously know each other, so they are not just “mediated friends” one will meet via CMC. My response: in McKenna’s theory it also states that connecting to similar others can connect across space and time. From this I felt I could apply to my situation since my parents could be gone off on business and if it was not for CMC modes of communication I would not be able to talk to them. Even aside that point, if my parents are at home and just want to get a hold of me, they are able to even when I am not there (via email or text messaging or voicemail).
Originally, I was thinking of linking my scenario to McKenna’s theory of “getting the goods” because when my family and I talk we are pretty much getting a news update on what is going on with our lives. For example: how practice is going, grades, events, family, haircuts, etc. However, I could not use this theory of McKenna since within this theory it states that getting the goods is the ability to get information about others PRIOR to meeting – this obviously not being my case.
Post a Comment