smp@sei.cmu.edu (Stan Przybylinski) (12/20/90)
One of my colleagues at the Software Engineering Institute (SEI), Dr. Jane Siegel, did her PhD dissertation on the topic of electronic communication, working with Lee Sproull and Sara Kiesler, who have made a name for themselves in this area. Their work includes empirical evidence that people are much more forthright electronically than they ever would be face-to-face. One paper on this work is included in the book "Computer Supported Cooperative Work", edited by Irene Grief. I know from personal experience that I have been abused on bboards, threatened with physical harm by people who had no business doing so, given our differences in physical stature (according to people who know both parties). People who are developing electronic support for group meetings are using this to their advantage to pull ideas from group participants that might never come or be accepted if the sources were known. It also doens't help on the net that most of the people drawn to computer work are there because they lack social skills to begin with. ;-) -- *---------------------------------------*------------------------------- -----* *Stan Przybylinski (Prez-ba-lin-ski) *These views do not represent those * *Software Engineering Institute *of Carnegie Mellon, the SEI, the * *Carnegie Mellon University *DoD or possibly even the author. * *Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 * * *smp@sei.cmu.edu (412) 268-6371 *All the fits, that's news to print.* *---------------------------------------*------------------------------- -----*