Overview

This course is organized to lead in concentric circles outward from the self. It begins with an exploration of the intrapersonal-how people construct and represent themselves on the Internet. It then moves to the interpersonal-how people relate to one another and form communities on the Internet. It ends by examining the transpersonal-how people use the Internet for spiritual purposes. The course relies on recent research to explore issues and concerns about this new medium of technology. Questions about ethics on the Web, about the gendered use of technology, about Web addiction, and about the changing nature of work and play are among those considered in this exploration into the complex relations between human beings and communication technology.

Outline

• Unit 1: Overview of the Internet: Societal, Psychological and Mechanical Aspects
• Unit 2: The Self and the Internet: “Variations on the Illusion of One Self”
• Unit 3: Interpersonal Net Relationships: From Playing in the MUD to Falling in Love
• Unit 4: Group Behaviour: From MUDs to Murder
• Unit 5: Developmental Perspectives: Video Games and Beyond-Nemesis or Highway to Intelligence?
• Unit 6: Social Roles: Gender and Class Issues Online
• Unit 7: Contexts Outside the Home: Work and Education
• Unit 8: From Deviance to Pathology on the Internet
• Unit 9: Transpersonal Implications: From Religion Online to the Evolution of Consciousness
• Unit 10: Summary and a Look Forward

Evaluation

To receive credit for CMNS 421, you must complete all of the assignments, achieve a minimum mark of 50 percent for the final examination, and obtain a course composite grade of at least “D” (50 percent).

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbook

Shedletsky, L. & Aitken, J. (2004). Human communication on the Internet. Boston: Pearson.

Aycock, A. & Buchignani, N. (1995). The e-mail murders: Reflections on "dead" letters. In S. Jones (Ed.), Cybersociety: Computer-mediated communication and community (pp. 184-231). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. [Reprint.]

Special Course Features

Psychology online: Addiction, support and spirituality. (n.d.). Edmonton: ACCESS. [Video.]

Psychology online: Boys, girls and games. (n.d.). Edmonton: ACCESS. [Video.]

Psychology online: Personal implications of the internet-the cyber self. (n.d.). Edmonton: ACCESS. [Video.]

Other materials

The course materials also include a study guide, student manual.