[Xmca-l] Re: risk awareness and aversion in online spaces

[Ian O'Byrne]

Hi all,

I think I stumbled on what I was looking for.

Cultural theory of risk
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Theory_of_risk> seems to account for
most of what I was looking for. What I still have to think through is the
individual cognitive and decision making involved in this societal and
culture "debate" taking place in this typology
<http://thebriefnote.com/2014/06/04/diagram-of-theory-douglas-and-wildavskys-gridgroup-typology-of-worldviews/>
.

Thanks again.
-Ian



On Fri Nov 28 2014 at 3:29:10 PM Ian O'Byrne <wiobyrne@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Michael,
>
> Thank you again.
>
> I think it's intriguing for a couple of reasons. One, I think we're still
> in between two models in terms of online identity..and cultural norms, etc.
> I think it's too early...but alas this is the current state. Second, I
> think that the socially constructed identities of "educators" (in this
> discussion) change over time. When I was teaching ten years ago....you hid
> your Facebook account or you were fired. Now, it's changed...to some
> extent. :)
>
> I'm intrigued by how individuals construct and modify their digital
> identities using multimodal and social content. I'm interested in the
> decisions that they make, and for the most part have been able to focus on
> what they build, and look and semiotics behind these decisions. Now, we're
> starting to have the more savvy users indicate a consideration of what they
> want their digital identity to be...and how that relates to what society
> thinks.
>
> Don't get me wrong...this also provides some of our participants with an
> opportunity to reject the status quo and create their own identity. This
> brings in elements of critical literacy, feminist ideologies, queer
> theory,and post-structural perspectives.
>
> We think it's cool stuff...but just trying to unpack it and see if others
> are seeing the same. I'll check out the Second Life pieces, and the
> Well...especially Howard and Gilly Salmon's work.
>
> Thanks again,
> -Ian
>
> On Fri Nov 28 2014 at 3:05:56 PM Glassman, Michael <glassman.13@osu.edu>
> wrote:
>
>> Ian,
>>
>> That is really interesting stuff.  The applications are extraordinarily
>> different, but there is some really interesting stuff on identity and the
>> creation of avatars (mostly in Second Life I think).  Maybe take a look at
>> Gilly Salmon's stuff.  Also if you have a chance take a look at the history
>> of the Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link' - The WELL - communities (Howard
>> Rheingold and others) where this whole idea of negotiating online identity
>> and offline identity is really fascinating.
>>
>> I think we are still waiting for a history of online identity as
>> dangerous - attempts to define the Internet as a dangerous place.
>>
>>
>> Michael
>> ________________________________________
>> From: xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu [xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu]
>> on behalf of Ian O'Byrne [wiobyrne@gmail.com]
>> Sent: Friday, November 28, 2014 2:52 PM
>> To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
>> Subject: [Xmca-l] Re: risk awareness and aversion in online spaces
>>
>> Hi Michael,
>>
>> Thanks for reaching out. Specifically, we had teachers creating and
>> sharing
>> content on Twitter. There tends to be this concern, or awareness with the
>> teachers that the content that they are sharing is impacting their digital
>> identity...and also their identity. Our hypothesis is that the more savvy
>> users are considering this socially constructed identity of an "educator"
>> and that impacts the content they share online...and how much they share.
>>
>> We had participants indicate that the content and identity they portrayed
>> online was either just like their offline identity (or the complete
>> opposite) as they considered what society wanted educators to be online.
>> Some accepted this and cleaned up what they shared...others were aware the
>> potential risk involved...but wanted to be "themselves" and just posted it
>> anyway.
>>
>> It's an intriguing mix of identity, identity construction, cultural
>> theory,
>> hegemony, and the risk piece we're trying to unpack.
>>
>> Thanks again,
>> -Ian
>>
>> On Fri Nov 28 2014 at 2:44:02 PM Glassman, Michael <glassman.13@osu.edu>
>> wrote:
>>
>> > Hi Ian,
>> >
>> > This is a little general.  What type of risk awareness and/or aversion.
>> > Is it a general sense of Internet anxiety - there has been some
>> research on
>> > this?  Or is it an aversion to specific activities on the Internet.  For
>> > instance some of the research we have been doing suggests that
>> individuals
>> > (in this case college students) have different levels of aversion
>> between
>> > simply communicating on the Internet, worries about whether they will be
>> > overwhelmed with data, or whether they actually put themselves out on
>> the
>> > Internet in terms of actually generating new information, or even
>> > responding to the posts of others.  Our findings suggest much greater
>> > confidence (actually self-efficacy) in communication and being able to
>> > handle a lot of information, less in actually posting.
>> >
>> > Or is it a fear on teachers' part that students will know more about
>> using
>> > the Internet than they do and fear using it and giving up their place as
>> > experts in the educational process.  There is some (not much) research
>> on
>> > this - and it might be partially urban legend.
>> >
>> > Anyway, just interested if you are finding something more specific.
>> >
>> > Michael
>> > ________________________________________
>> > From: xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu [xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu]
>> > on behalf of Ian O'Byrne [wiobyrne@gmail.com]
>> > Sent: Friday, November 28, 2014 2:11 PM
>> > To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
>> > Cc: juliebwise@comcast.net
>> > Subject: [Xmca-l]  risk awareness and aversion in online spaces
>> >
>> > Dear colleagues,
>> >
>> > In our research we're seeing signs of this form of risk awareness and/or
>> > aversion as it relates to digital identity construction and sharing in
>> > online spaces. Specifically, participants are making decisions about
>> what &
>> > how to share content in online spaces while considering what others will
>> > think about their digital identity as an educator.
>> >
>> > I'm wondering if anyone else is seeing this in their work...and what
>> > citations or literature do you reference. We're having trouble nailing
>> down
>> > a specific field or construct.
>> >
>> > Thanks in advance,
>> > -Ian
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
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