A qualitative investigation of the incongruent interaction styles individuals exhibit when communicating on social networking sites in comparison to subsequent face to face interaction

Rylance, Katie (2012) A qualitative investigation of the incongruent interaction styles individuals exhibit when communicating on social networking sites in comparison to subsequent face to face interaction. Liverpool Hope University.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the incongruence between face to face interaction and online communication via social networking sites using a qualitative method. The topic of interest was explored using semi-structured interviews and analysed through interpretative phenomenological analysis. The four key themes found were: identity, friendship and socialisation, the importance of face to face and the dark side of online communication. The interviews highlighted that an incongruence between online and offline worlds does appear to exist. However participants believed that linguistic communication plays only a part in this online/offline inconsistency. Participants instead suggested that the incongruent nature between the ways in which an individual presents and portrays them self, both on and offline, holds an equal significance to the incongruent interaction styles exhibited.