Laura Richards discusses the allure of phatic communication in this week's frog Design Mind at Gizmodo, ranging from instant messenger to Tamagotchis to biofeedback wristwatches:
Phatic communication, a term first coined by anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski, is the international linguistic phenomenon of ‘small talk;’ that is, exchanges meant to provide a social connection rather than transmit information. Think about your last ride in an elevator: did everyone suffer silently, or did someone attempt a connection by offering some idle chatter about the weather? That man was engaging in a bit of phatic communication."
[...] Consider iChat; often the content of the messages is secondary to the fact that people simply appreciate being pinged by their online pals. And sometimes just seeing your pals in the list, knowing they are there, is enough to feel socially connected.
[via Gizmodo]
Posted by johndanseven at November 28, 2005 11:14 PM