On Virtual Face-Work: An Ethnography of Two Live Chat Reference Interactions

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On Virtual Face-Work An Ethnography of Two Live
Chat Reference Interactions

• Marie L. Radford, Ph.D., Rutgers University, New
  Jersey
• Gary P. Radford, Ph.D. , Fairleigh Dickenson
  University
• Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Ph.D., OCLC
• Jocelyn DeAngelis Williams, Doctoral Candidate,
  Rutgers
• NCA, Chicago, IL, November 15, 2009

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Seeking Synchronicity Evaluating Virtual
Reference Services from User, Non-User,
Librarian Perspectives

• 1,103, 572 IMLS funded project with 4 phases
• Focus group interviews
• Transcript analysis - 746 Usable
• Online surveys 496 Total
• Telephone interviews - 283 Total

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Live Chat Transcript Analysis

• Random sample
• 479,673 QuestionPoint sessions total
• Avg. 33/mo. For 18 mos. 850 total
• 746 usable transcripts
• Excluding system tests tech problems

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Interaction Ritual Essays on Face-to-Face
Behavior
On Face-Work An analysis of Ritual Elements in
Social Interaction (1967)
Erving Goffman 1922-1982
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Face-Work

• Much of the activity occurring during an
  encounter can be understood as an effort on
  everyones part to get through the occasion and
  all the unanticipated and unintentional events
  that can cast participants in an undesirable
  light, without disrupting the relationships of
  the participants
• (Goffman, 1967, p. 41)

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Face Defined

• Positive social value person claims
• Self-image in terms of approved social attributes

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Face-Work in Encounters

• Face is located in flow of events
• Feelings about face reinforced by encounters
• If better face is established feel good
• If expectations not fulfilled feel bad or hurt
• Neutral experience expected, not memorable

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Kinds of Face-Work

• Rituals Greetings Closings
• Corrective Process Repair Apology
• Avoidance Process Prevent Threats to Face
• Poise Control Embarrassment

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Face-Work in Chat Reference

• Goffman provides a powerful way to frame analysis
  of chat encounters.
• Face face-work appear in flow of transcript
  (event).
• Analysis identifies instances of face-work.

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Interpersonal Communication Findings

• Relational Facilitators
• Interpersonal aspects of the chat conversation
  that have a positive impact on the
  librarian-client interaction and that enhance
  communication.
• Relational Barriers
• Interpersonal aspects of the chat conversation
  that have a negative impact on the
  librarian-client interaction and that impede
  communication.

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Transcript Examples

• Positive Transcript Example
• Drug Companies in Boston (p. 11)
• Subject Business
• Duration 70 min., 45 sec.
• Negative Transcript Example
• The Accelerating Bumper Car (p. 17)
• Subject Physics
• Duration 17 min., 8 sec.

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Conclusion

• Goffman offers a powerful way to gain new
  insights into VR practice.
• Can guide understanding of interpersonal
  dynamics.
• Future directions
• Developing a theoretical model based on Goffman
• Research in progress to extend this work to other
  contexts IM SMS (text messaging).

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End Notes

• This is one of the outcomes from the project
• Seeking Synchronicity Evaluating Virtual
  Reference Services from User, Non-User, and
  Librarian Perspectives
• Funded by IMLS, Rutgers University, OCLC Online
  Computer Library Center, Inc.
• Project web site http//www.oclc.org/research/
• activities/synchronicity/default.htm

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Questions Comments?