This document summarizes key points from chapters 11 and 12 of a communication textbook. It discusses the nature of technology-mediated communication and challenges like less richness and phone snubbing. It also covers technology's addictive potential through dopamine loops. The document outlines the disinhibition effect online and both bright sides like self-disclosure and dark sides like sexting. It discusses using technology effectively and impacts on sleep from bedtime use. Finally, it covers ethics, deception, improving decision-making, and disagreeing civilly.

1. CHAPTER 11
Communication
and Technology
Copyright © 2022 W. W. Norton & Company

2. 11.1 The nature of technology-mediated communication
• Technology-mediated communication (TMC) is
the process of exchanging and assigning meaning to
messages that are facilitated by technology channels
and applications.
• According to the media ecology perspective
(MEP), technology reshapes and reorganizes your
interpersonal communication values, perceptions,
and behaviors.
2

3. Interpersonal challenges of TMC
• Less richness
• Digital infidelity is the act of secretly exchanging
sexual, romantic, or flirtatious messages online with
someone who is not your current romantic partner.
• Phone snubbing is the act of making it seem like
your time on your cell phone is more important that
your time with a relational partner.
3

4. Technology’s addictive potential (1)
• Dopamine loop is the cycle of pleasure-seeking
behavior caused by the brain chemical dopamine.
• You use technology, technology gratifies you, and
dopamine causes you to seek more gratification.
4

5. 11.2 The disinhibition effect
• The disinhibition effect is the tendency to express
yourself more candidly and less guardedly when
using asynchronous channels.
• Catharsis is the release of negative emotions such
as stress, fear, or guilt as a result of divulging
personal struggles and secrets.
5

6. The bright side of disinhibition (1)
• Self-disclosure is generally a gradual process when it
happens in person, but it may occur at a faster pace
electronically.
• Hyperpersonal communication is a form of online
communication in which self-disclosure becomes
intimate and revealing more quickly than it would likely
occur in F2F or V2V contexts.
6

7. The dark side of disinhibition (1)
• Sexting is the exchanging of nude or seminude
photos, videos, and sexually suggestive language
via text messaging.
• Flaming is the hostile exchange of online
messages, often in the form of insults.
• Cyberbullying is the act of repeatedly posting
disparaging remarks or photos about another
person online. It may include taunts, negative
comparisons, put-downs, gossip, and threats.
7

8. The dark side of disinhibition (2)
• Cyberstalking is the act of ongoing surveillance
paired with the malicious use of technology.
• Ghosting is the act of cutting off all
communication with no explanation.
• Catfishing is the act of pretending to be someone
you’re not online.
• Post-cyber-disclosure panic is the dread, regret,
or anxiety you feel after sending an online
message.
8

9. 11.3 Using communication technology effectively
• Office etiquette and email use
• Cell phone etiquette
• Navigating social media
• Responding to provocative electronic
messages
• Digital detoxes
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10. Technology and bedtime use (1)
• People who use electronic devices right before
going to bed are less likely to report getting a good
night’s sleep or waking up refreshed.
• Chronic sleep deprivation (CSD) is a cumulative
reduction in the length and quality of sleep.
10

11. CHAPTER 12
Ethics and Civility
Copyright © 2022 W. W. Norton & Company

12. 12.1 Significance of ethical IPC
• Interpersonal communication ethics are the set of
beliefs, values, and principles that guide
communication behaviors within a relationship.
• Your IPC ethics help you determine whether a
communication choice is right or wrong, moral or
immoral.
12

13. Five ethical ideals (1)
• The National Communication Association has
established a Credo for Ethical Communication.
• To help remember these ideals, use the acronym
RRIFT:
 Respect
 Responsibility
 Integrity
 Fairness
 Truthfulness
13

14. The golden and platinum rules
• The golden rule encourages you to treat others the
way you wish to be treated.
• Another perspective to consider is the platinum
rule: treat others the way they wish to be treated.
14

15. Moral absolutism and relativism
• Moral absolutism, or the objective view of ethics,
suggests that certain behaviors are always right and
others are always wrong.
• Moral relativism, or the subjective view of ethics,
considers the particular circumstances surrounding
an action to determine whether it is ethical.
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16. Ethical communication strengthens relationships
• Interpersonal trust is a person’s firm belief in the ability,
reliability, and honesty of another person.
• Relational partners can avoid feelings of uncertainty, insecurity,
worry, cynicism, disappointment, resentment, anger, and
sadness if they establish and maintain trust in each other.
16

17. Unethical communication damages relationships (1)
• A relational transgression is an unethical action
taken by someone you know that hurts you or
makes you feel betrayed.
• The lingering negative feelings you have as a result
of a relational transgression are referred to as
ongoing negative affect.
• Projection is the mental process of assuming that a
relational partner is guilty of doing something—or is
capable of doing something—that you’ve done
yourself.
17

18. Institutional and legal consequences of unethical IPC (1)
• Harassment is any behavior that makes a person feel
uncomfortable, threatened, or unsafe.
• If a company or organization fails to take action to stop
harassment in the workplace, the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission can fine it for perpetuating a hostile
work environment.
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19. 12.2 Deception within relationships
• Deception is communication behavior that deliberately
misleads another person, including any communication that is
not completely honest or forthcoming.
• If your deception is successful, you may experience duping
delight: a feeling of gratification the moment you realize you
just fooled someone and got away with it.
19

20. Is deception always unethical? (1)
• Misleading or dishonest communication meant to help the
receiver is called benevolent deception.
• Another form of deception that may not raise any ethical
concerns is deceptive affection (DA), which occurs when
we don’t express our true feelings.
20

21. Detecting deception
• Under certain conditions, a person who is trying to deceive you
may:
 Speak with a higher-pitched voice
 Appear nervous or anxious
 Pause when a question is very easy to answer
 Add unnecessary details to an answer
 Give a very short answer when more elaboration would be
expected
 Alter their rate of speech
 Stumble over their words
 Avoid eye contact or look at you more directly for a longer
period of time 21

22. Confronting deception
• Direct approach
• Indirect approach
• Covert methods
22

23. 12.3 Ways to improve ethical decision-making
• Confront unethical communication constructively
• Use I-language, beginning your sentences with
phrases such as “I need,” “I value,” or “I
appreciate.”
• Recognize and encourage ethical behaviors
• Own your communication choices.
23

24. Disagree with civility (1)
• Civility is the level of politeness and courtesy you extend to a
conversational partner.
• If you want to influence a person’s thinking and keep a
conversation from becoming hostile, you have a greater chance
of doing so with active listening.
24

25. Communication and technology
25

26. Phone snubbing
“I often shut my cell phone off when I’m
with my sons. Friends and family get
mad at me because I don’t pick up their
calls or respond to their texts fast
enough. I believe we’re never truly
present when we are always on alert,
with our phones vibrating in our
pockets to update us about every
possible thing. When I shut off my
phone, I’m one hundred percent present
with the person I’m with. I am doing
more for that relationship than I’m
doing by giving fragments of myself to a
bunch of others.” —Zain
26

27. Technology’s addictive potential (2)
27

28. Technology’s addictive potential (3)
28

29. The bright side of disinhibition (2)
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30. The bright side of disinhibition (3)
“I find it way easier to start
relationships online. I can tell if the
other person isn’t interested based on
how long it takes to get a response, the
length of the response, and content of
the message. Approaching someone in
person is riskier and more nerve-
racking. What if they don’t like me?
Getting publicly rejected is much more
embarrassing than being rejected
online.” —Boyd
30

31. Navigating social media
“Recently a guy messaged me on social
media to tell me he’s seen me around
campus. He was wondering if he could get
my number so he could ask me out. I
couldn’t help but think: Where and when
did he see me, how did he get my name, and
why hadn’t he approached me to say hello
or even introduce himself? I had never
seen him before, so it kind of creeped me
out. Instead of going back and forth with
online messages, I simply told him to
introduce himself to me the next time he
saw me, and we can go from there.”
—Monica
31

32. Digital detoxes
32

33. Technology and bedtime use (2)
33

34. Credits
This concludes the Lecture PowerPoint presentation for Chapter 11.
For more resources, please visit It’s Interpersonal, An Introduction to
Relational Communication, at:
http://digital.wwnorton.com/interpersonal
Copyright © 2022 W. W. Norton & Company