Es. Rintel et J. Pittam, STRANGERS IN A STRANGE LAND - INTERACTION MANAGEMENT ON INTERNET RELAY CHAT, Human communication research, 23(4), 1997, pp. 507-534
This article examines a set of interactions (logs) taken from the form
of computer-mediated communication known as Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
. The authors were particularly concerned with the interaction managem
ent strategies adopted by the participants in the logs during the open
ing and closing phases of the interactions to develop interpersonal re
lationships and communicate socioemotional content, as illustrated by
their attempts to initiate and/or close interactions with others using
the medium. The article compares these strategies and their structure
with those proposed for face-to-face (FTF) interactions and proposes
an explanatory framework for the interaction management of opening and
closing phases on IRC. It is suggested that interaction management in
these phases of IRC logs is similar to that in casual group FTF inter
action in terms of the general functions of the strategies used, but t
hat the content, structure, and ordering of the strategies are subject
to adaptation.