How can one put into words my friendship with Alexander, aka Dess, the crazy Korean Mormon from California? Dess is a missionary by daylight, and building-climber by night (he has been on mission for the past two years in Wyoming and Colorado spreading the word, and has also been to the rooftop of Baker Tower by means I will not disclose here). I met Dess on the Class of 2008 website 3 1/2 years ago. Back then, the website was a social tool for pre-freshmen to get to know each other based on common residences, majors, etc. Now the Class of '08 website has catapulted itself into a forum for keeping seniors updated on events culminating towards graduation. While viewing the website as a prefrosh, uncertainty was at its highest as I perused profiles similar to those found on Facebook, minus Scrabbulous. However, when I found out Dess was one suite over from me in Low Rise 7, the uncertainty between us began to decrease as we exchanged messages over the website, as well as IMs over the summer. Clearing up the gray area between two people via communication led to a greater affinity to my new friend.
The Uncertainty Reduction Theory (URT), from Berger and Calabrese, states that the uncertainty reduction process leads to greater attraction between two people. This can occur through greater communication between the two, and ultimately the meeting of two people FtF after using CMC for some period of time. The more information is exchanged between partners, the more they will know each other, and if they get along, simply put, they'll like each other more. A myriad of cues are given FtF that are not available over CMC, such as appearance - after meeting Dess Ftf I know that he is not a slob, or doesn't wear a leather jacket with spikes coming out of it. Rather, he wears a t-shirt and jeans just like everybody else, or white buttoned down shirt and nametag when he's doing missionary stuff. One can also deduce race FtF - I already knew he was Korean from his last name, but when I saw him, then I could make sure. Carrying on a conversation in person can give one an idea of how the other person carries themselves - Dess was a little awkward at first, but weren't we all awkward as freshmen? One is also more able to tell whether another individual is happy, depressed, angry, or complacent FtF rather than its needing to be stated directly in words. When I met Dess online, I already knew that I liked the kid, but after meeting him FtF we became better friends as we were more familiar with each other. Today, Dess is one of my closest friends at Cornell, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Comments:
http://comm245blue.blogspot.com/2007/11/assignment-11-when-ms-goes-wrong.html
http://comm245blue.blogspot.com/2007/11/11-this-is-embarrassing.html
2 comments:
This was a great analysis using Uncertainty Reduction Theory to explain your experience. You explained the relationship thoroughly enough for the reader to understand the analysis, and the analysis used URT to explain the experience well. Its strange that people have such a wide range of experiences with modality switching. Personally I have had a more negative experience moving from online interactions to real life. Perhaps it has to do with the intention of the original online relationship.
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