social media & sociometry

Thu Dec 17 19:08:02 CST 2009

One of the things I have most enjoyed about the ANZPA conferences (I've been to 11) is that the days between the pre and post conferences include such wonderfully engaging events as breakfast together,  lunches in picnic or easily gathered venues, and time between the one morning session and the one later afternoon session to visit leisurely with one another.   I grumble every year at how closely schedu;led we are at our meetings in US, and the only option is to cancel out of something you signed up for in order to have quality time with a colleague you haven't seen in awhile.  

Our grouptalk does give some time for connection which I value.  I have backed off from invitations to join facebook, twitter, my space, etc . I knpw I am missing something so this dialogue is encouraging me to open the Pandora's box.
Thanks folks.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Peter Howie 
  To: Group talk Listserv 
  Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2009 6:52 PM
  Subject: Re: social media & sociometry

  I recall some ground breaking research that showed that men, following either heart bypass or heart transplant (not sure which) who swapped low fat cooking recipes (at the instigation of the hospital) had about double the healing and survival rate of those who didn't. So, as mentioned, superficial has its place. in fact superficial is somewhat a value judgement when it is compared to something like encounter or deep connecting. So yes the connections are superficial. But so are most connections even with loved ones most of the time. Maybe better to say they are more social connections. That's a bit more neutral. 

  On the other hand who doesn't like a wholly superficial relationship when someone has been through the wars and is sick and tired of long drawn out turgid in-depth relating and dialogue. 

  One response we have trialed here at our conferences is to have all day workshop options on the first day of the conference and a couple of time as the only options. This has meant that at least on the first day most people connected at depth with a reasonable number of folks. I thought ti worked well, but then again it was my idea and some people preferred some more "superficial" option on the first day or in other words to start off in the shallow end of the pool rather than diving into the deep end. :)

  Cheers

  Peter

  On 18/12/2009, at 5:42 AM, Jen W wrote:

    I agree that social networking contacts can be superficial, and it's possible that the illusion of having a connection may provide enough false security that perhaps a person does not feel pushed to seek actual contacts.

    It could it also be argued that even superficial contacts can sustain a person who has wounds that is keeping him or her isolated.

    I also find that facebook can provide a spark that can be followed up on in person.  For instance, I found that an acquantance had some of the same taste in music.  We exchanged music recommendations and ended up making CD mixes for each other and we ended up sharing our interest in greater depth outside of facebook.

    I guess most relationships start off superficial, as there is no instant intimacy of the real time.  People may or may not choose to fan the flames of intimacy.  And maybe their choice to be intimate or not be intimate is not entirely due to the existence of facebook.

    Jen

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    From: anathga at hotmail.com
    To: adam at blatner.com; list at grouptalkweb.org
    Subject: RE: social media & sociometry
    Date: Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:54:58 +0000

     how true...yet there is something as an oveload of superficial contacts,leaving one weary  and in want of time to cultivate the kind of relationships that need time and energy investment to give us back the same.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    From: ablatner at verizon.net
    To: list at grouptalkweb.org
    Subject: social media & sociometry
    Date: Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:38:54 -0600

    Dear All, Speaking of our dialogue about facebook  and other social media, I've heard that institutions are using these to connect with younger people. They have found that fewer and fewer of them are using email. In fact, I understand that there are even some colleges that no longer giving their undergrads email accounts but are communicating with them through social networking sites!  It relates to the nature of sociometric connections, the types, etc. Social media indeed introduces a type of "reach out and touch someone" in ways that are different. I'm not interested in making a value judgment of better or worse, only different, and for me I find it interesting to contemplate and identify the role components of such relationships.

    Indeed, what would Moreno make of our listserve, as an international network, and of the quality of the relationships thereby constructed?    As imperfect as this may be compared to a full face-to-face encounter, it's better than nothing (i.e. relative alienation, lack of networking). And even at conferences, the schedule is often tight enough and the settings diffuse enough with conflicting agendas that true encounter often doesn't happen, even though people meet superficially face-to-face. There isn't enough sustained time for warming up, much less the degree of time it takes to work out misleading impressions, misunderstandings, etc.

    Warmly, Adam Blatner

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  Peter Howie B.Sc, TEP
  Managing Director
  The Moreno Collegium for Human Centred Learning, Research and Development
  0411 873 851
  www.morenocollegium.com.au

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