Cultural Aspects of Communication Processes Online:

Identity, Gender, and Language in Synchronous Cybercultures

Charlotte N.(Lani) GunawardenaCharlotte N.(Lani) GunawardenaProfessorProfessor

University of New MexicoUniversity of New MexicoUSAUSA

EDEN 08 Annual ConferenceEDEN 08 Annual ConferenceJune 11-14 June, LisbonJune 11-14 June, Lisbon

How Do We Learn? Where Do We Learn? How do diverse sociocultural How do diverse sociocultural

contexts shape communication contexts shape communication processes online?processes online?

What are the communication What are the communication conventions naturally developed by conventions naturally developed by Internet users when they use the Internet users when they use the medium informally?medium informally?

Morocco

Arzou AinLeuh

Ifrane Fez

Sri Lanka

Galle Batticaloa

Colombo Kandy

Purpose

Generate a conceptual Generate a conceptual framework of sociocultural framework of sociocultural factors in visually anonymous factors in visually anonymous synchronous chat by studying synchronous chat by studying the informal use of the medium the informal use of the medium (often to build relationships with (often to build relationships with strangers)strangers)

Research Questions Focused on:

1.1. How is identity expressed in informal How is identity expressed in informal visually anonymous online chat?visually anonymous online chat?

2.2. Are there gender differences in the Are there gender differences in the negotiation of identity?negotiation of identity?

3.3. How is language used to express identity How is language used to express identity and communicate online? and communicate online?

Study Design

Qualitative, ethnographic perspective to Qualitative, ethnographic perspective to examine communication conventions and examine communication conventions and conduct interviewsconduct interviews

Grounded theory building to develop a Grounded theory building to develop a conceptual frameworkconceptual framework

Focus group and individual interviews Focus group and individual interviews conducted in Moroccan Arabic, French, conducted in Moroccan Arabic, French, Sinhala, Tamil & EnglishSinhala, Tamil & English

Interdisciplinary research team of 4: USA (1), Interdisciplinary research team of 4: USA (1), Morocco (2), Sri Lanka (1).Morocco (2), Sri Lanka (1).

Similarities and Differences in the Study Contexts Morocco – Arab, Berber, Muslim, Morocco – Arab, Berber, Muslim,

Mediterranean African country, more recently Mediterranean African country, more recently colonized by the French, speaking Standard colonized by the French, speaking Standard Arabic, Moroccan Arabic, Berber, and FrenchArabic, Moroccan Arabic, Berber, and French

Sri Lanka – Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim Sri Lanka – Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim country, predominantly Buddhist, more country, predominantly Buddhist, more recently colonized by the English, speaking recently colonized by the English, speaking Sinhala, Tamil, and English.Sinhala, Tamil, and English.

Participants General public who used Internet Cafés and General public who used Internet Cafés and

university students who used the Internet in university students who used the Internet in campus labscampus labs

Specifically those who used chat to Specifically those who used chat to communicate with people they do not knowcommunicate with people they do not know

Morocco – 55 adults (36 males, 19 females)Morocco – 55 adults (36 males, 19 females) Sri Lanka – 50 adults (33 males, 17 females)Sri Lanka – 50 adults (33 males, 17 females)

Findings: Emerging Conceptual Framework IdentityIdentity

Trust buildingTrust building Self disclosureSelf disclosure

Gender differencesGender differences Innovation of language forms to express Innovation of language forms to express

identity and generate immediacyidentity and generate immediacy

Tokens of Identity ASL (Age, Sex, and Location)ASL (Age, Sex, and Location) Depending on context will reveal true identity, Depending on context will reveal true identity,

create a different identity, or blend identity in create a different identity, or blend identity in and ID (e.g.: “lone wolf”)and ID (e.g.: “lone wolf”)

Moroccan concept of self is collective –calling Moroccan concept of self is collective –calling on traits of groups to establish identityon traits of groups to establish identity

Moroccans often caught between the “high Moroccans often caught between the “high context” world of Moroccan culture and the context” world of Moroccan culture and the “low context” world of their European “low context” world of their European interlocutorsinterlocutors

Identity Play Anonymity - more open expression of identity –Anonymity - more open expression of identity –

need not conform to social expectations of need not conform to social expectations of stating sex, geographical origin, class, age, etc. stating sex, geographical origin, class, age, etc.

Age and sex are more important than location Age and sex are more important than location when expressing identity. Location hinders when expressing identity. Location hinders access.access.

Stereotyping takes place more easily in text only Stereotyping takes place more easily in text only environments (e.g.: Mohammed to “Green environments (e.g.: Mohammed to “Green Python” to gain access to people)Python” to gain access to people)

Identity can be changed to appeal to different Identity can be changed to appeal to different audiences audiences

Crossing Boundaries

Role play in anonymous chat – Posing as Role play in anonymous chat – Posing as Europeans or claiming a different gender Europeans or claiming a different gender identityidentity

Construction of cybernetic identities enabled Construction of cybernetic identities enabled disenfranchised persons and communities to disenfranchised persons and communities to deal with exclusion & marginalization. Eg: deal with exclusion & marginalization. Eg: AinLeuh – where the café is the domain of AinLeuh – where the café is the domain of men, women make connections with men men, women make connections with men outside their community through the Internetoutside their community through the Internet

Identity and Trust Building Techniques to determine trust worthiness:Techniques to determine trust worthiness:

Asking a series of questions in the initial Asking a series of questions in the initial encounter and asking the same questions encounter and asking the same questions later to determine consistencylater to determine consistency

Extensive exaggeration usually signals Extensive exaggeration usually signals someone faking “gender”someone faking “gender”

Mobile phones to verify authencityMobile phones to verify authencity

Trust Building and Use of Media

Chatters have “heirarchized” methods of Chatters have “heirarchized” methods of communication:communication: Chatting – low risk, easy to dismissChatting – low risk, easy to dismiss E-mail – more personal and presents E-mail – more personal and presents

a larger risk than chat. More serious a larger risk than chat. More serious and honest when compared to chat.and honest when compared to chat.

Mobile phones – are riskier and Mobile phones – are riskier and incorporate a level of trust.incorporate a level of trust.

Identity, Trust Building and Self Disclosure Disclosure of private life and personal Disclosure of private life and personal

experiences increases trust buildingexperiences increases trust building Self disclosure and building trust Self disclosure and building trust

enhances social presenceenhances social presence Anonymity increases ability to self-Anonymity increases ability to self-

disclose.disclose. Anonymity also encourages superficial Anonymity also encourages superficial

relationshipsrelationships

Gender Differences Virtual identities breach the dichotomy of Virtual identities breach the dichotomy of

public and private space in Moroccan public and private space in Moroccan society (Graiouid 2004). Females enjoy society (Graiouid 2004). Females enjoy the anonymity which allows them to build the anonymity which allows them to build relationships without compromising relationships without compromising themselves. themselves.

Sri Lankan women less comfortable with Sri Lankan women less comfortable with self-disclosure onlineself-disclosure online

Gender Differences

Women will take the extra effort to Women will take the extra effort to resolve misunderstandings even if resolve misunderstandings even if the relationship is not that strongthe relationship is not that strong

Females reported being harassed Females reported being harassed online, and therefore, were more online, and therefore, were more cautiouscautious

Language

Native language is transliterated on Native language is transliterated on the Latin keyboard to increase social the Latin keyboard to increase social presencepresence

I. MNIN DEFNOU’H MA ZA’ROU’H (“Since they buried him, they forgot about him,” an expression which means “After you used me, you forgot me”)  3 7 9

ح ع ق  

II. Why = 3lach(ع)

 III. Salam 3alikoum ! (Greeting)

 IV. Numbers used to express Arabic characters and sounds

3 → ع (ain)9 → ق (kah)8 → ه (hah)

   

Moroccan Arabic in Latin Script:

Examples of Sinhala written in English:

Ayubowan – How are you?Ayubowan – How are you? Paw – I feel sorry for youPaw – I feel sorry for you Hondai – goodHondai – good   Examples of Tamil written in English:

Aniyayam – what a waste!Aniyayam – what a waste!

Language of Chat Different idioms to express realness- feel of the Different idioms to express realness- feel of the

conversationconversation Ideas or opinions that acknowledge chatter’s Ideas or opinions that acknowledge chatter’s

cultureculture French used for polite conversations, Moroccan French used for polite conversations, Moroccan

Arabic to deal with conflict and difficult situationsArabic to deal with conflict and difficult situations EmoticonsEmoticons Using other media- cell phones, webcams, e-mailUsing other media- cell phones, webcams, e-mail Challenge- in a high context culture, providing Challenge- in a high context culture, providing

context when typing is difficult context when typing is difficult

Language (continued) Paralanguage –a method for Paralanguage –a method for

communicating social information – communicating social information – imagined ID, or pseudonymimagined ID, or pseudonym

Different font sizes and colors:Different font sizes and colors: To enhance photos To enhance photos Comic sans for friendsComic sans for friends Arial and Century Gothic for more Arial and Century Gothic for more

formal communicationformal communication

Implications for Learning Cultures

Expression of identity is important for Expression of identity is important for relationship building, but self-disclosure is not relationship building, but self-disclosure is not easy, especially for women. Developing easy, especially for women. Developing protocols for introductions will helpprotocols for introductions will help

Creation of identity enables one to Creation of identity enables one to experience the world in a new way – will lend experience the world in a new way – will lend itself well to role play & simulationsitself well to role play & simulations

Anonymity is important to facilitate honest Anonymity is important to facilitate honest dialogue on controversial issuesdialogue on controversial issues

Implications for Learning Cultures

Posting photos with introductions can lead to Posting photos with introductions can lead to stereotyping and reduce anonymity. It is stereotyping and reduce anonymity. It is important to devise other means of self-important to devise other means of self-disclosure and provide a comfort zone disclosure and provide a comfort zone especially for womenespecially for women

Context is key to understanding messages Context is key to understanding messages and participants should be encouraged to and participants should be encouraged to provide context to enable the deciphering of a provide context to enable the deciphering of a messagemessage

Future Considerations: How is identity, gender aHow is identity, gender a

nd language expressed innd language expressed in virtual worlds such as Se virtual worlds such as Second Life? cond Life?

Reference

This study will be published as a book This study will be published as a book chapter in the forthcoming book on chapter in the forthcoming book on ““Learning CulturesLearning Cultures” edited by Robin ” edited by Robin Goodfellow and Marie Noelle Lamy of Goodfellow and Marie Noelle Lamy of the Open University, U.K., to be the Open University, U.K., to be published by Continuum.published by Continuum.

Acknowledgements U.S. Dept. of State Fulbright Regional Research Scholarship U.S. Dept. of State Fulbright Regional Research Scholarship

2004-2005 2004-2005

Research Assistants:Research Assistants:

Fadwa Bouachrine, Al-Akhawayn University, Ifrane, Fadwa Bouachrine, Al-Akhawayn University, Ifrane, MoroccoMorocco

Ahmed Idrissi Alami, University of Sidi Mohamed Ben Ahmed Idrissi Alami, University of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, Fez, MoroccoAbdellah, Fez, Morocco

Gayathri Jayatilleke, Open University of Sri Lanka, Sri LankaGayathri Jayatilleke, Open University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka