What are the considerations for building CMC environments to host interactions that are intended to create cross-cultural displays of knowledge?

There is substantial evidence that “In CMC, people are more likely to be brought together by shared interests, giving them the chance to discover similarity in values and interests, and to focus on one another’s conversational style without attending to appearance (McKenna and Bargh, 2000; Whitty, 2004)” (Baym, N. 2006, p.44). This important quote is a reminder that even with all the risks in CMC environments there are powerful forces and ambitions that can overcome these many obstacles to authentic interactions. There is much to look forward to and as cliché as it might seem, hope for the future with what technology can create and make possible. “…despite the implications of many interpersonal and postmodern theories that people can’t or won’t form personal relationships through CMC, people do, and do so often and fairly successfully. CMC and the Internet offer new opportunities for creating relationships” (Baym, N. 2006, p.43).

The New Media Revolution has shown that people the world over need CMC technologies so much there has already been a evolution and adaptation: “…over time, CMC becomes more similar to face-to-face communication in terms of socio-emotional conversation and impression formation” (Baym, N. 2006, p.44). The real message however is how do we culturally co-exist globally and socially represent ourselves to each other? One way is by building constructive cross-cultural displays of knowledge that by nature change the focus in CMC to a more honest disposition and continuous river of authentic, integrity centric interactions. With a view toward common purpose we can return to an essential idea that underscores why people choose to cooperate: the primary need to create exchanges and to be understood. Humans also fundamentally need reasons to unify and with less focus on the individual so much can be accomplished together: “In the area of group decision making, reduced socio-emotional communication and increased task orientation can enhance group work” (Walther, J., 1996, p.6).

With all these ideas in mind, the social aspect of CMC environments is certainly omnipresent yet perhaps less pronounced when coupled with actionable knowledge, activities and objectives to achieve that serve the many not just the individual. It does seem when there is a functional concern for others more cross-cultural displays of knowledge have a chance for creating understanding between people about who they are and what matters to them as not simply individuals but as members of a culture as well.

Baym, N. (2006). Interpersonal Life Online. In L. Lievrouw & S. Livingstone (Eds.), The Handbook of New Media, Updated Student Edition (35-54). London: Sage.