Behaviors, Perceptions, Responsiveness, and Presence: The Dyadic Model of Mediated Communication

Abstract

Presence is widely recognized as a central concept for the study of mediated communication; however, its role in the maintenance of geographically distal close relationships remains unclear. Drawing upon research from HCI, communication, cognitive science, and psychology, we present the Dyadic Model of Mediated Communication to provide a better understanding of presence in mediated communication. We argue that each partner's perception of responsiveness is crucial for the creation and experience of presence. In this paper, we focus on eye coordination within videomediated communication as a major determinant of responsiveness and presence in mediated communication. We discuss the model's potential application to future study of human factors of HCI and to current maintenance theory.

Taking Notes or Playing Games?

“…In addition to where a person is looking, the reason for the multitasking, or perhaps more importantly, the reason assumed by the other person, is likely to also influence perceptions of the appropriateness of the behavior. The effects of gaze are at least partly determined by a subjective interpretation [9]. Therefore, an observer's assumption about what a person is looking at could affect perceptions of behavior more than any absolute activity.…”