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March 28, 2007

Lecture: You try to get a date (representation)

Key concepts: representation (two views), representation and identity, symbol, sign
Examples: "a woman's touch" on the telegraph key, "mean world" syndrome, minority representation on TV, Asian men never kiss, Me and You and Everyone We Know (clip)
In class: a live version of "The Turing Game" (see the Discussion Board for details)

Class Reader: Local Attachment

Fischer, C. (1994). Local Attachment, 1890-1940. FROM: America Calling: A Social History of the Telephone to 1940. Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press. pp. 206-209. Password Protected Online Full-Text (PDF) [Get Password Help]

Class Reader: Love Over the Wires

Standage, T. (1999). Love Over the Wires. FROM: The Victorian Internet. Berkley Trade. pp. 127-129, 133-138. Password Protected Online Full-Text (PDF) [Get Password Help]

Class Reader: Case study: aloha.net

Theroux, Paul. (2001). aloha.net. FROM: Hotel Honolulu. London: Penguin. pp. 255-260. Password Protected Online Full-Text (PDF) [Get Password Help] Key concepts: notice the examples of the different meanings of "representation" in this story

Assignment: BLOG POST: Scientist of Love

For this assignment you will act as a social scientist investigating the consequences of future communication technologies on human relationships.

Part I. First, join two online communities that you are not familiar with from the following lists. You should be able to do this for free. Provide enough information so that you have an online identity on these two sites. (But you do not have to disclose any information you are uncomfortable with.)

State in your post which two communities you joined, and describe your online identity (a.k.a. your "avatar"). Include at least one screen shot of each community in your blog. (See: How to get a screen shot. Alternately, with some communities it may be possible to copy and paste parts of the screen. If you do this, be sure it is legible.)

Part II. Based on your use of these two systems, make a meaningful prediction about the effect of each on human relationships if these technologies became very widespread. Compare the technologies to justify your answer. You might make a prediction about dating, marriage, romance, courtship, friendship, or any other aspect of human relationships. Your explanation might refer to the service's features, design, interface, appearance. For example:

If (technology) became universal, I would expect that (prediction), while if (other technology) became universal, I would expect that (prediction). This is because (explanation).

Part III. Use a quote from the Standage or Fischer reading to explain, justify, or compare your prediction to other researchers and/or earlier technologies.

Graphical Online Environments: (requires software download)

Second Life

There.com

Text-Based Online Environments:

pythonMOO

LambdaMOO

Rupert

(Or choose your own from: this list.)

Dating Sites:

Match.com

eHarmony.com

Google Base (use: personals / people profile)

Social Networking Sites:

43 Things

Bolt

TagWorld

(Or choose another site from this list.)

Post an answer of at least 250 words to your blog. DEADLINE: 11 a.m. -- one hour before class begins.

Announcement: The blog server is back online

Announcement: Wed. 3/28 assignment deadline extended to Fri.

The deadline for this assignment has been extended to 11 a.m. Friday (3/30) to account for the blog server outage.

Announcement: Turing Game details are on the discussion board

Announcement: New instructor faves on the blogs page