Meaning Construction, Gaze and Language\nin Media Space: the Case of Skype

Abstract

What’s the relationship between the new communicative technology\nand the society? Instead of a macro perspective, this article tries to use a\nmicro perspective to analyze human-computer interaction. By the micro\nanalysis, I answer the question of how to design human-computer\ninterface.\n This article focuses on a new technology, the Skype’s webcam, and\nuses affordance theory to examine biological and cultural constraints and\ncreativities. The examination focuses on the nonverbal communicative\nelement - gaze. How do people change their visual perception and the\nrules of interaction? How do people create embodied interaction and new\nrules?\n The data transcribes the conversation and gaze in the use of Skype.\nThe research finds that special media space influences people’s visual\nperception and changes the ways of communication. The humancomputer\ninteraction designers should be concerned about these issues.\n Finally, this article tries to answer the basic question of\ncommunication, i.e., where the meaning is from. Language is no longer\nthe privileged communicative element in new technology. Verbal and\nnonverbal elements intertwine with each other in the symphony of\nmeanings. No element is more important than another. This article\nemphasizes the importance of nonverbal communicative element in\nhuman-computer interaction interface design.

新傳播科技和社會的關係為何？不同於鉅觀觀點，本文欲以微觀\n觀點描繪新傳播科技所形塑的人與人互動形式，從改變的互動形式\n中，希望能回饋到人機互動設計中。\n本文以新傳播科技—Webcam 在 Skype 上的應用為例，以機緣理\n論一一檢視其生物、文化面向的限制和創意，檢視的重點則放在非口\n語傳播元素—視覺。應用 Webcam 這項新科技如何改變了人們互動時\n的凝視規則，視覺線索等等，人們藉著體現互動﹙embodied interaction﹚\n又如何從中產生創意，創造出新的凝視規則，將是本文探討的重點。\n資料分析則藉著對話分析和凝視過錄厚描在 Webcam 下的互動\n形式。研究發現 Webcam 的媒介空間所產生的特殊空間感，的確影響\n了視覺的感知，並影響了人們溝通的內容和方式。另外，也由於\nWebcam 中介的溝通，使的凝視規則改變，看與不看、如何看都值得\n人機互動設計者深思。\n最後，回到傳播的本質也就是「意義從何而來」的問題。新傳播\n科技中的意義不再獨尊語言，意義是由各個元素（口語和非口語）如\n同交響樂團般互相演奏、配合交織而成，並沒有何種元素比哪種元素\n更為重要。除了呼應實踐語言的意涵外，也再一次強調了各種非口語\n傳播元素在人機互動設計中的重要性。