Description
Taylor & Francis Ltd New Communications Environments 1996 Edition by Giuseppe Mantovani
This multi-disciplinary book develops three intertwined themes: the perspective of situated action from cognitive science, a model of social context as a framework for inspiring artifact use and starting from it, and the individual and organizational impact of the new electronic environments of communication. Using plenty of up-to-date references from different scientific disciplines such as HCI, computer-mediated communication, cognitive sciences, social psychology, cultural anthropology and research in decision making, the book challenges older models of communication as information transfer and discusses the new communication environments. Part 1 The "situated action" approach: the new "Black Box"; everyday situations; circumstances, plans and situated actions; decision-making, appropriateness and identity. Part 2 How a shared meaning is developed: the social context as symbolic order and social norms; technological and normative artifacts as embodied projects. Part 3 New environments of cooperation and communication: computer-supported cooperative work; computer-mediated communication; virtual environments and the development of possible selves. Conclusions - electronic communication, social context and virtual identities.