社会杂志 ›› 2023, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (1): 138-172.

• 论文 • 上一篇    下一篇

移动互联时代的互动规则变迁——以微信聊天中的语音—文字选择为例

郑丹丹, 董珂含   

  • 发布日期:2023-03-08
  • 作者简介:郑丹丹华中科技大学社会学院,E-mail:zdd@hust.edu.cn;董珂含北京大学社会学系
  • 基金资助:
    本文受中央高校基本科研业务经费资助(项目号:2020WKZDJC019)。

The Change of Interaction Rules in the Mobile Internet Era: Take the Choice of Voice-Text Messages in WeChat as an Example

ZHENG Dandan, DONG Kehan   

  • Published:2023-03-08
  • Supported by:
    This research was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2020WKZDJC019).

摘要: 本文以微信聊天中的语音—文字选择为例,试图揭示移动互联时代的时空分离特征及宏观文化背景对个体社会交往产生的影响,丰富戈夫曼互动仪式理论的相关内容。通过半结构式访谈发现,可以将互动中使用的类别化印象整饰技术视为线下差序格局的线上建构,互联网的时空分隔与重组机制则通过影响互动情境而影响互动关系:首先,语音成为高位者对低位者进行随意表达的特权,双向的规避仪式单向化为低位者的义务,强化了互动秩序;其次,微信互动的去共同情境化使情境压力降低,情境积累的必要性减弱,产生依托相对地位的简易互动规则;最后,互动情境的不确定性及互动结果的固态化导致低位者安全感不足而回避语音方式。

关键词: 微信, 语音与文字, 互动仪式, 时空分离

Abstract: The interaction theorists represented by Goffman have put forward a series of important theories about the micro-interaction order of daily life. However, with the advent of the mobile internet era, the rule and order of face-to-face interaction may have changed. Taking the choice of voice and text messages in WeChat as an example, this paper examines the characteristics of the time-space separation, and the impact of macro cultural background in the internet era on individual social interactions, expanding and enriching the relevant content of Interaction Ritual theory from the two aspects of cultural and technological changes. Through semi-structured interviews, it is found that the categorical impression management technology used by people in WeChat can be regarded as an online construction of offline differential associations in relationship. The spatio-temporal separation and reorganization mechanism of the Internet influence online interactions by affecting the interaction context. Specifically, this kind of interaction has caused the following changes. First, sending voice messages at will has become the privilege of the superior over the subordinate, and under the easier operation of reflective monitoring, the two-way avoidance ritual has become the one-way obligation of the subordinate, strengthening the interaction order. Second, there is a trend of de-common-situation in discrete WeChat interactions, embodied in the decrease of situation pressure and the necessity of situation accumulation. Therefore, reflective monitoring is easier to operate than before, resulting in simple general rules of interaction based on relative status. Third, the uncertainty of the interaction situation after the time-space separation and the solidification of interaction results cause the subordinate feel insecure and anxious about using voice messages. In addition, the discrepancy between the interaction discussed in this study and Goffman's theory may also be related to the uniqueness of Chinese culture. Due to technological progress and changes in social structure, the making of WeChat interaction rules is still in progress and it demands long-term observation and careful analysis.

Key words: WeChat, voice and text, interaction ritual, time-space separation