Agreements and Disagreements in a Computer-Mediated Discussion

Abstract

Agreements and disagreements in a predominantly female computer-mediated discussion group which discusses soap operas are analyzed in terms of their message features. The findings differ from those on agreements and disagreements in oral interaction and in written letters. These agreements included qualifications, provision of reasoning, elaborations, and other features uncommon in oral and epistolary agreements. The disagreements were more mitigated than the agreements, but were more likely to contain direct contradictory assertions than agreements were to contain affirming assertions. They too were likely to include elaborations. These findings are attributed interactions between the medium, the topic under discussion, the context of media use, participant gender and the context participants strive to create.