Computer-Mediated Versus Face To Face Communication

Computer-Mediated Versus Face To Face Communication

The invention of the computer changed the face of interpersonal communication forever. The Internet has contributed even further to this change. Through the Internet we can communicate with others online, through text, in almost any part of the world at any time. This is called computer-mediated communication and has become a major part of our lives. In many cases, people communicate by computer more than face to face or by phone. Is this a good thing and is communication in our society heading in the right direction via computer? Researchers have different views on this matter because there has been research done to indicate that computer-mediated communication can be both good and bad. The question then arises, who is right? A closer look at the two sides of the matter should help shed light on a more concrete conclusion.

There are many people who attribute anxiety to face-to-face communication. These same people often find it much easier to communicate by computer. According to research published in "Communication Research Reports," through computer-mediated communication, apprehensive communicators have an advantage in that it may nullify certain features of communication contexts that tend to heighten anxiety (Patterson). Research shows that computer-mediated communication acts as a mitigating variable with regard to status differentials and it reduces evaluation fears that lead to communication avoidance and withdrawal (Gojdycz). This means that CMC, computer-mediated communication, allows us to communicate with one another without placing specific labels on the people we are communicating with such as race, age, physique, or even the sound of their voice. Why is this important? These labels often act as barriers to our communication. Many people find it difficult to communicate with others unlike themselves and this barrier is removed during CMC. In CMC, people have the choice of what to reveal about their appearance and they are not bound to it as they often are in face-to-face communication.

Others tend to feel very differently about computer-mediated communication. In an article in "Communication Education," researchers came to very different conclusions about computer-mediated communication and it's effects. These researchers point out that when using CMC we lose a lot of social interaction. For example, when chatting or e-mailing someone you do not get the benefit of seeing their body language or hearing their tone of voice. This is a concept known as "cues filtered out" and it plays a major role in the opposition of CMC.