The disembodied act: copresence and indexical symmetry in computer-mediated communication

CSCL has recently begun to consider how shared understanding is achieved in computer-mediated interactional environments. In this paper, we explore how actors produce and maintain indexical symmetry and reciprocity of perspectives in online chat by establishing reciprocal fields of copresence. We use ethnomethodologically informed analysis to describe the interactional methods by which actors establish indexical symmetry and reciprocal fields of copresence.