Tone & Terms
What single word does the article use for messages that are offensive or rude online?
flame or flaming
Which part of the brain is described as the center for empathy and helps guide social interactions?
orbitofrontal cortex
Who is Jett Lucas and what problem does he describe?
Jett Lucas is a 14 year old friend of the author who says that kids send embarrassing instant messages to each other and then feel too shy to talk about them in person.
What simple classroom poster image does the author recall as a helpful reminder for students to calm down?
A stoplight poster
What is a "flame" in the context of online communication?
A hostile, offensive, or rude comment online.
What phrase describes feeling freer to say embarrassing things online than in person?
Online disinhibition effect
Which brain structure generates impulsive reactions that need to be modulated/regulated?
amygdala
About 20%
What is one proposed technological solution (related to sending messages) that is mentioned to reduce flaming?
Replace typed messages with video so emotional cues are visible.
What does "lewd" mean in the context of the article?
Lewd means crude or indecent, offensive. (Inappropriate) In the article it refers to messages that are indecent.
Give two examples of nonverbal cues the brain uses in face-to-face communication.
tone of voice, facial expression, raised eyebrow, smile, frown,
Why is face-to-face interaction important in communication?
It provides the brain with social cues that guide the interaction effectively.
Describe the "web rage" incident mentioned in the text.
A London man traded insults with someone in a chatroom, and later assaulted another user in person.
Describe the stoplight signs in your own words.
red: stop and calm down before reacting
yellow: think through options and possible consequences
green: choose and send the best, calm response
What does "disinhibited" mean?
"Disinhibited" means acting with less social restraint than usual--doing or saying things online that one would not do in person.
What cute but limited symbols are mentioned that try to show emotion in email?
"emoticons"
Why does the author suggest sending video messages instead of email messages?
Give one example from the article showing that people behave differently online than in person.
Students write embarrassing messages online but won't say them face-to-face. People polite in person sent lewd/rude messages to one another.
What does neural mean?
Having to do with nerves or the nervous system, including the brain and the spinal cord.
What is a "Web pseudonym?"
a fictitious/fake name used online to mask a person's real identity
What is one (of two) cause(s) of "the online disinhibition effect?"
1. The brain does not receive feedback in a timely manner.
2. People may use fake names online to mask their identity.
Fill in the blanks: People communicate rudely through electronic messages due to the absence of ______ cues.
social
Explain why the absence of real-time feedback can escalate messages from rude to violent, using the article's examples
WHY: Without real-time feedback (tone or facial reactions), writer's don't see their target's response and may escalate insults; this can lead to real-world confrontations like the "web-rage" assault described.
The emerging field of _______ neuroscience, the study of what goes on in the brains and the bodies of two interacting people, offers clues into the neural mechanics behind flaming.
social neuroscience
"Our emotional impulses disinhibited, we type some infelicitous message and hit "send" before a more sober second thought leads us to hit "discard."
What does infelicitous mean?
inappropriate