Causing Flamewars

[Xandax]

Interesting, although something which I suspect most people used to debating online would actually know

http://www.wired.com/news/technology...rss.technology

A small quote:

According to recent research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, I've only a 50-50 chance of ascertaining the tone of any e-mail message. The study also shows that people think they've correctly interpreted the tone of e-mails they receive 90 percent of the time.

Now this only confirms what I think many of us know - and also what I personally have said often on this forum when trying to interveene in "brewing misunderstandings" in various threads.
Read what is written and not what (perhaps) was intended or what "I" think is written, is in my view the best course to take.

Thoughts? Opinions? Right/Wrong?

[Greg.]

Oh my God Xandax! If you send many more of these, our heads will explode with laughter!!! (If you can guess what tone that was in...)

Seriously though...

I can't tell if someone is joking/lying on MSN or whatever, but I can outside...

Poor communication causes many problems - like linguistic divides etc

We should all try to get on with and understand one another - how different does that 'sound' to you than it did in my head...?

[C Elegans]

I couldn't agree more with your conclusion, Xandax. That people believe they interpret other people correctly when in fact they hear/read in a lot of subjective material into the information (even more if it is a text and not spoken), is well known in psychology. It's not at all surprising to see this common behaviour also applies to e-mail and other electronic media. Even more so when people don't even share the same first language!

I haven't had time to read the full article yet, will do as soon as I have a spare moment. In any case, I share your opinion that the best way to avoid misunderstandings based on subjective interpretation, is to minimise interpretation and simply read the words that are written, nothing more, nothing less.

[dragon wench]

Very interesting article.

This line especially resonated:

At the same time, those reading messages unconsciously interpret them based on their current mood, stereotypes and expectations.

I know that when I read an email, PM or post while quite tired or irritable, I will often interpret it far more negatively than I would under more optimal conditions.
Hence, for the most part, I try to avoid Internet communication late at night or if I'm in a particularly bad mood.