Time Will Tell: Ambiguous Non-Responses on Internet Relay Chat
- Sean Rintel ,
- Jeffery Pittam ,
- Joan Mulholland
The Electronic Journal of Communication / La Revue Electronic de Communication | , Vol 13(1)
Rintel, E.S., Pittam, J., & Mulholland, J. 2003. Time will tell: Ambiguous non-responses on Internet Relay Chat. The Electronic Journal of Communication, 13, (1). Online version is free and best version (Use Publisher URL)
The design of Internet Relay Chat (IRC) affords for, and itself produces, non-response situations that are not possible in FTF or telephone interaction. These system-occasioned non-responses produce almost isomorphic stimuli to participant non-responses. Situations thus arise in which non-responses are interpersonally accountable despite agentive ambiguity. This study explores four intersections of participant-action and system-occasioned non-responses. An extension to Pomerantz’s (1984b) ‘pursuing a response’ problems/solutions is proposed. The impact of IRC’s design on its popularity is discussed in contrast to more recent chat systems. Suggestions are made for active and passive presence and non-response accounting features in future chat systems.