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communication

2K views 16 replies 5 participants last post by  studentdesigner 
#1 ·
hi there...

I was wondering if anyone could give me some info, or would be interested in sharing some of their thoughts.

I am doing a research project into social anxiety and communication at the Royal College of Art in London.

I am looking to find out the issues that sufferers of social anxiety have when using MSN messenger and other online communication tools such as chat rooms and email? Is it easier or more difficult than face-to-face communication or talking on the phone?

Thank you very much in advance for your time.
 
#4 ·
Yea, I make friends online, usually by playing MMORPG's and I chat with some people I know in real life to.
I wouldn't really want to meet any online friends in real life tho. I just don't like meeting new people, not even if I sorta know them from an online game or something.
 
#5 ·
For me, my level of anxiety depends a lot on whether the communication is real-time or not real-time. So I do get quite a lot of anxiety when using MSN and chat rooms, but a lot less with forums like this one. And normally no anxiety with email. Although if I know someone very well I don't usually get anxious when talking to them online. But, unlike a lot of other people it seems, my SA does spread to online communication.
 
#6 ·
2 years ago chatting on the internet would be a lot easier and less daunting than the phone or gulp face to face. I would always think of what the best things would be to say if i worded stuff right and the same would go with posting on forums.

Some of my buddies have hooked up with some people online but some of the people they met were really weird. Friendster or facebook seemed to be a lot better than myspace ;)

I've met people I've talked to online but that's cuz we were all part of the same group and stuff. Now I am not a super master pro at chatting with people but I like to think of myself as normal and eventually I will be pimpolicious =)
 
#7 ·
thanks for all of your comments. i wasn't expecting this much response so soon...i have to say i was a little nervous posting the first question as i don't know this forum very well.

its really interesting katelyn talked about anxiety when communicating in real time... does anyone else feel this way?

how do forums like this make you feel? do you feel comfortable in the chat rooms for example, when you know other people will be sensitive to social anxieties? or do you feel comfortable only on the forum as people can leave a message not necessarily directed at you personally?

does it help being online so people can't see your face or body?
 
#9 ·
I don't really have trouble with communicating in real time when Im chattin with people I've known for quite a while. However if it's someone I don't know very well then I can sometimes hessitate to say something.
Forums are OK I guess, although when I reply to a post I can feel a lil anxious bout how people will respond to it.
I don't have a cellphone, I think it's a waste of money as I never call anyone and I don't really want to be called by anyone either.
And yeah I love the anonimity of the internet.
 
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