Strategic Uses of Social Technology: An Interactive Perspective of Social Psychology

The publication of Strategic Uses of Social Technology: An Interactive Perspective of Social Psychology (Cambridge University Press, 2011) has been of special interest to the authors of this review for two reasons. First, one of the reviewers (Guadagno) attended the Conference on Group Processes in Computer-Supported Interaction: Technological and Social Determinism at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio in April 2005 that has laid the foundation for this volume. Second, social psychological inquiry into behavior on the Internet is a primary area of research for both of the reviewers (see e.g., Guadagno & Cialdini 2002, 2005, 2007; Guadagno, Muscanell, Okdie, Burke, & Ward, 2011; Guadagno, Okdie, & Eno, 2008; Muscanell & Guadagno, 2012). Strategic Uses of Social Technology reflects and builds upon research presentations given at the conference, and expands them to offer a thorough and engaging social psychological perspective on how individuals interact with mediated environments in the context of computer-mediated communication (CMC) and related processes and outcomes. Even though the resulting book is quite broad in themes, it remains concise. Each of the ten chapters discusses concepts that are highly relevant to particular aspects of CMC, introduces original research questions, and highlights some of the most pertinent findings. Additionally, the authors provide necessary and interesting suggestions for future research. Most of the chapters integrate a comparison of face-to-face and CMC processes, which helps the reader to recognize those aspects in which the two modes of communication are similar or dissimilar. One surprising note for the students of technology-supported interactions is Strategic Uses of Social Technology: An Interactive Perspective of Social Psychology