COMM 309: Midterm 1

list the benefits of reciprocation

1. establishes obligations, roles and norms, and trust 2. creates community, shared values, and a collective identity

provide and explain an example of the "global village"

1969 moon landing: millions of people around the world watched it on their televisions

explain the uncanny valley

As something starts to look more human-like, there is a point at which people start to feel it looks wrong. There are a million little facial cues that tells us something is not real, and it's something humans are generally good at detecting. We get an unsettling feeling when we are NOT sure if something is real, and it bothers us because our ability to recognize whether or not something is real suddenly isn't good enough.

define computer-mediated communication (CMC) mean

CMC is defined as human communication that occurs through the use of two or more electronic devices

describe CMC theory

CMC theory includes many different forms of synchronous, asynchronous or real-time human interactions, all of which use computers to exchange text, images, audio or video

what is the significance of entry and exit costs to community?

Entry costs are significant to a community because the higher the entry cost, the more prevalent group membership, and the connection are. If the cost to get into a group is zero, members are less inclined to have interest or meaning from the group. Furthermore, if it's harder to exit a group, that will keep you in.

provide and explain an example of entry/exit costs

Greek life has a higher financial sum that new members have to pay to enter a sorority or fraternity. Leaving greek life would be difficult because you have already invested money into the house, and one would also be losing their social connections

what does social information processing theory tell us about human behavior?

Humans want to convey emotions and relationships. If the medium isn't successful at communicating these emotions/relationships, we will find a way to circumnavigate the medium

describe an example of how communication/technology have influenced transportation

NY city cab drivers used to have a lot of business, but when new tech companies like Uber & Lyft emerged, cab drivers became the losers

describe Putnam's view on civic engagement and the relationship between civic engagement and television

Putnam argues that as a result of television, civic engagement has declined (we spend less time outside the household talking to friends and family without the presence of television)

what is social information processing theory?

SIP theory explains how individuals use computer‐mediated communication to develop interpersonal impressions and to advance relational communication over time online

what does SIDE stand for?

Social Identification Model of Deindividuation Effects

describe the structure of the internet and the historical context of its creation that led to it

The internet was formed as a result of military research during the Cold War. Unlike most corporations, the internet is a decentralized system, meaning it has no center of control. It was designed as such because the US military realized that the first place an enemy would attack would be the center. Their solution was to create a system without a center.

what is science fiction's role in examining the impact of new tech?

The science fiction film genre has long served as a useful vehicle for "safely" discussing controversial topical issues and often providing thoughtful social commentary on potential unforeseen future issues. The types of commentary and controversy presented in science fiction films often illustrate the particular concerns of the periods in which they were produced.

in terms of the Network Effect, why do Apple products seem to be more popular than Samsung/Android products?

There are more Apple iPhone users than Samsung phone users, therefore a consumer might choose to buy an iPhone over a Samsung, even if the iPhone costs more money. Additionally, life is easier when you use the same product as others (example: a Samsung user may not be able to be in a group chat with an iPhone user, which would be a negative consequence associated with owning a Samsung device)

explain how USC is considered a Gesellschaft and/or Gemeinschaft community

USC can be seen as a Gesellschaft community because of its large size and how organized it is. We are all here because we have the same purpose which is to be students. It is also governed by a handbook and bylaws as opposed to societal norms, and there is a set hierarchy with set leaders that make decisions and a department that enforces the rules. There is a small aspect of Gemeinschaft community within USC which is within the smaller subgroups we are a part of. We have chosen to be a part of the USC community and we chose to take part in subgroups and meet people with common interests and shared ideas.

what is a platform?

a platform is something that you build a service on top of (ex: Instagram)

what is a portal?

a portal is a large, multi-purpose web site (ex: Google or Yahoo)

describe an example of the zero-sum equation

adding entertainment such as television, video games, phones, and the internet has forced us to sacrifice the quality time we spend with each other

what is asynchronous communication? provide an example

asynchronous is delayed communication (ex: emailing someone)

what is the difference between bits & atoms?

atoms are physical beings while bits are digital and non-physical (bits are made out of 1s and 0s)

why would monopolists charge consumers as much as they possibly can?

because they can

define and explain bonding

bonding social capital refers to the relationships/associations within a group or community bonding provides us with social and emotional support and strong ties

what are the two forms of social capital?

bridging and bonding

define and explain bridging

bridging social capital refers to the relationships/associations between social groups, social class, race, religion or other important sociodemographic or socioeconomic characteristics bridging grants us access to new information and opportunities

how is communication tied to transportation?

communication travels as fast as technology can send it new technology disrupts the industry, causing a change in winners and losers.

describe compatibility

compatibility refers to the level of compatibility that an innovation has with individuals as they assimilate it into their lives (potential adopters need to know that your innovation will be compatible with their life and lifestyle)

describe complexity

complexity refers to how difficult it is for adopters to learn to use an innovation (the more complex an innovation, the more difficult it will be for potential adopters to incorporate it into their lives)

what does the acronym CMC stand for?

computer-mediated communication

what does the acronym CPM stand for?

cost per millia (cost per thousand impressions)

what is creative destruction?

creative destruction describes the impact of technology on an existing system or market

what are the 4 vertical stages of business models?

design/creation, production, distribution, sales

define diffusion

diffusion is defined as the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a group

explain the concept of diffusion

diffusion refers to the way in which new ideas and concepts spread and become integrated into society

which of the vertical stages is the one most affected by creative destruction?

distribution

list an example of a gemeinschaft community

dorm communities (no one told you to create that community, it just happened)

how could entry/exit costs be imposed online?

entry and exit costs online would all be in the code and can be adjusted to amplify the strength of a digital community

list the range of CMC cues from most effect to least effective

face to face, video, audio, synchronous text, asynchronous text, limited asynchronous text

describe the dystopian view on technology

focuses on displacement (what we lose), advancements in technology lead to bad health, social, and cultural effects

describe the characteristics of a gemeinschaft community

gemeinschaft communities are based on an organic community with shared interests, norms, customs, religion and culture

which is better for creating art- Gemeinschaft or Gesellschaft- and why?

gesellschaft because oppression and diversity leads to creativity and art production gemeinschaft creates a sense of tradition and is closed off from new and creative ideas

describe the characteristics of a gesellschaft community

gesellschaft communities are based on institutions and are less personal, they emphasize things such as agreements and legislations and are more often associated with large cities or groups

what is interoperability?

interoperability parts of a system work with other parts of a different system (inter-system compatibility)

what is the Network Effect?

it explains how products grow in value as more people begin to use them

what are Bender's (4) requirements for the maintenance of communities?

limited membership, shared norms, affective ties, sense of mutual obligation

what is the difference between media and medium?

medium is singular (one thing like newspapers), while media are plural, (like newspapers and TV)

provide and explain an example of creative destruction

new technologies might be better for the consumer, but often times destroys existing products example: Netflix now dominates the online streaming and entertainment market because it is a better and easier way of accessing media, BUT as a result, it also wiped out other businesses like Blockbuster

describe observability

observability is the extent to which the results or benefit of using an innovation are visible to potential adopters

does technology make your social capital go up or down?

online spaces tend to be helpful for bridging, but not as helpful for bonding

list the pros and cons of a gemeinschaft community

pro: strong sense of belonging, con: lots of conformity and gossip

who is proteus?

proteus is a Greek god that would adapt or fill whatever place he was in

describe relative advantage

relative advantage measures how improved an innovation is over a competing option or the previous generation of that same product

what are the (5) necessary conditions for diffusion to take place?

relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, observability

list the required steps for vertical integration

start your own company, merge with someone else, and finalize it by contract

what is synchronous communication? provide an example

synchronous is live, instant communication (ex: talking on the phone)

describe the utopian view of technology

technology: 1. fosters the creation of new communities 2. allows people from across the globe to connect and stay in touch 3. allows for the spread of new forms of knowledge 4. results in an increase in global understanding and thus an advancement of world peace 5. encourages more democratic communication

what two technological innovations led to the creation of time zones?

telegraph, trains

what is the Turing test?

the idea that a computer (robot, automated voice, AI, etc.) is intelligent because it tricks a human being into thinking it is not a computer

what is technological determinism?

the idea that machines make history (not people, but the technology itself)

what is the conservative, laissez faire view of markets?

the industry will innovate and good things will happen (get the government out of the way)

what impact does the medium used have on the message being sent?

the nature of a medium (the channel through which a message is transmitted) is as or more important than the actual message itself

what is the proteus effect?

the proteus effect argues that the visual characteristics and traits of an avatar are associated with specific behavioral stereotypes and expectations (in other words, if you have a username or avatar, you will probably feel like you are that username or avatar)

what is path dependency?

the tendency to stick with one way of doing things because the costs of switching are high.

what does the term "global village" mean?

the term global village refers to the idea that the world is a single community linked by telecommunications

what is the uncanny valley?

the uncanny valley explains the relationship between the degree of an object's resemblance to a human being and the emotional response the object triggers

what is the 80/20 rule?

the understanding that 80% of your business comes from 20% of your customers

what is the zero-sum equation?

the zero sum equation refers to a situation in which gain is equivalent to loss (a person has to lose something in order to gain something)

describe trialability

trialability refers to how easily potential adopters can explore your innovation

provide and explain an example of when one might use SIDE

we take our cues of social behavior from others when we enter an unknown space when the cues are gone, we follow whatever cues we have left

who is more likely to find a job, a person with weak-tie networks, or strong-tie networks?

weak-tie networks because your social circle is often larger and more diverse

what does the 80/20 rule teach about the film industry?

when choosing which movie to make, companies will always choose the high profit, low risk/reward film rather than the high quality, high risk/reward film (in other words, studios will play it safe and sacrifice good content in order to increase their chance for reward)