Coherent conversation initiation in multiplex communicative ecologies

• This article reports on results from an ethnographic study of student interaction at a design school. The aim of the article is to explore the relation between communicative affordances, mode choices and coherence strategies in multiplex communicative ecologies. This is done through a focus on the choices made when initiating conversations in this setting. First the complete communicative ecologies of three international students in the design school are mapped, in order to demonstrate the options available, and focus is then turned to in-group interaction in particular. It is shown that the choices made can be related to the communicative affordances of the tools and the environments in relation to different considerations regarding attention. Whose attention do you want? When do you want attention and what kind of attention do you need? Can you get the attention of the other through the mode of your choice, and is now a good time to do so? In this discussion, also the physical location of the participants is taken into account. Furthermore, it is suggested how balanced awareness can be of relevance for coherent conversation initiation, and suggestions for design are presented.

Ämnesord

HUMANIORA  -- Språk och litteratur -- Studier av enskilda språk (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Languages and Literature -- Specific Languages (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap -- Kommunikationsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Media and Communications -- Communication Studies (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Communicative ecologies

communicative affordances

coherence

conversation initiation

instant messaging

English language

Engelska språket

Human communication

Kommunikation mellan människor

engelska

English

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)