project proposal
project interim report
project final report
 

title:
                    VIRTUAL INTERACTIONS. THE FACE-TO-FACES COMMUNICATIONS

The computerization of sociology - from primary statistics analysis to formalized simulation
     The special utility of computer for sociological research represent an incontestable certainty. This ideea is sustained for an quantitative perspective from the more high percentage of sociological research which use the computers and also for an qualitative perspective by the extension of the new sociological field of utilization.
 On the first level, the computer was used in sociology only as an auxiliary instrument for statistics analysis (including data bases) and text processing.
 On the next level of complexity, the Computer Science have interfered with the Sociology by the Artificial Intelligence structures (Expert Systems, Knowledge Based Systems, Neuronal Networks and so on) which were used preeminently in simulation (symbolic or formalized).
 At these two levels the computer remain just an auxiliary mark, a very complex device for binary calculation which process some input dates for to obtain output information (which are verifiable and usual, under control).
 Complementary with these we have today a new perspective for the implication of the computers in sociology: Virtual Reality. This new interaction between Computer Science and Sociology determine some major change about the position of computer (from an auxiliary mark to a base support) and also about the new social structures (which are developed in Virtual Space).

The implication of Virtual Reality in Sociology
 The Virtual Reality was developed in the area of simulation for reproduction of real structures with high risk or with limited tangible. Today he (VR) is a distinct field with the special possibilities for thoroughgoing study.
 The sociological implications of Virtual Reality exceed the limit of simulation by the feedback of virtual social process concerning the personality of the implicated subjects. Therefore the virtual social structures and process have an individual existence and constitute a new form of manifestation of the social.
 The applications form that sphere of sociology have begin with the systems for distant education (virtual classroom) and after that were developed some specific concepts (like: virtual groups, virtual communities, virtual relationship, virtual organization, virtual corporation, virtual representation, and so on).
 The fast evolution of the computers technology and her perspective (optic cables, parallel processor, neuronal network etc.) are a real and strong support for the continuos development of the Virtual Reality (by the extension of the applicability and of complexity).

 The computer is today a component of the daily, so many people use the binary machine (for different reasons). One of determination of this situation was the development of un-specialized software (“friendly software”) which made possible the acces of a lot of users who was not (in mod necessary) from that area of specialization. This kind of users has not so much knowledge about the inside of machine but, by their number they were determinate the most important phenomenon for the end of our millennium: The Internet = the connection together of millions of peoples from thousands kilometers distance (between them), all in the same network and all with only one common element: the wish to “surf” (the wish or/and the curiosity to find something new).
 Several millions of people connected to the NET 24 hours on day, 7 days on week with their so different reasons, wishes and aspirations but with a lot of interactions can be just a temporary manifestation of some groundless fashion or just a simple event. More than this, we have an unprecedented phenomenon in our society and is very important to be investigate by on scientific positions. It does not matter the management of the Internet, the computer producers or the deliver of this kind of services. The most important thing is ideea of connection to Net, the ideea to log in together with several millions of anonymous persons, ideea to can meet and interact with anybody from Net.
 For a sociological point of view until now are some unsolved questions about this phenomenon and him implication in social and personal life, like: The distinction between real and virtual friends. / The changes inside of the need for human interaction. / The trend for extrovert (on the Net) with a clear introvert in the real life. / The effects of acces to a bigger volume of information concerning the personal power to discriminate and the stability of personality. The answers for they are so necessary because him evolution is not depending for sociological research but the sociology can stay outside of the social reality.
 These are the basic ideas for this project. I do not try to solve all problematic aspects for the situation but some most imported aspects of him. I want to develop a theoretical structure of the virtual social space with an accent on the human mediated interactions (distribute synchronic relationships) and the implications of paralel communication about the personality.
 First of all, I want to make a clear analyze of the virtual perspective in Human Science and her substantiation. After that I want to test (with an experimental investigation) the operational hypothesis:
1). What is the different between the one-to-one interaction (face-to-face) and One-to-More interaction (face-to-faces).
2). What are the quantitative and qualitative performances of parallel communication into the face-to-faces interactions.
3). How operate the parallel communication on personality.

 The theoretical model of the project will be developed on the basic concept of: social network, social interactions, communication, interknowledge, social group, personality, virtual interactions, groupware, computer mediated parallel communication, mediated face-to-face relationship, face-to-faces interactions.
 

 The project has two methodological stages: an explorative investigation and an experimental structure. At the first level I will make a documentary study and an interview with Internet users. The documentary study is represented by an analyses of the most important materials for that subject, by discussions with the authors, by subscribed at news-groups and virtual society (or virtual research groups) which are interested in this subject, and by an examination of all publication from the Internet (with public acces). The interview with the Internet users is necessary to obtain a confirmation for the conclusion of the documentary study. After this stage I will have the basic ideas for the quantification of the hypothesis for experimental structure.
 At the second level (experimental structure) I will develop two control group (one with advanced and one with beginner users of the Internet) and many experimental group (with people who does not use the Internet before). The volume for each group will be between 3 and 5 members and they will be prepared before the experiment to work as a group. Also, the experimental structure will be related with a qualitative methods for research: focused-group (for obtain a group opinion after experiment).
 

 This project can be one of the first sociological investigation of the virtual social space. The object of study is most imported for our civilization (the post-postmodernity) and scientific analyze of him must be made in real time. We are now on the transition between two stages of human evolution (from postmodernity to post-postmodernity - or to informatic society) and we don’t have the right to make the same error like the last transition (between industrially and postindustrially) when the sociological investigation was made to late.
 From a sociological point of view this project is very important because we have here a social phenomenon which make a real changes in social space. It is not about some particular manifestation it is about a new dimension of society. This study try to solve just a little bit from the theoretical structure of the virtual dimension of society. It is not so much (it is just a type of human interaction - the personal communication) but it is a first step in building the theory.
 The final conclusion will be published in a book (in Romania) and an electronic version in English will be available on the Internet. With these conclusion I will make the apply to prepare an university course of Cybersociology for the Department of Sociology, West University of Timisoara. The final dates will be send to all sociological publication from Romania and to some prestigious international publication of this type.
 The project will have all the time of progress a web page on the Internet with a detailed presentation.
 

1. Summary of the work in the first stage of the project
 The project "Virtual Interactions. The face-to-faces communication" was developed in two research stages: an explorative investigation and an experimental investigation (with a final period for global analysis, promotion and printing of results).
 The explorative research focused on the theme of virtual interactions was achieved by a documentation analysis completed with interviews applied to Internet users. After documentation analysis I have obtained a set of conclusions which I have checked by applied interviews. These conclusions are the base of an assumptions system of experimental structure drawn from the second stage.
 I have made an analysis on two types of documents: printed (books and speciality articles) and published in electronic version on Internet (books, articles, research reports, master and Ph.D. theses). I have obtained the printed documents by purchase (from bookstore or second hand free market) or by study in libraries (from Timisoara, Cluj-Napoca and Oxford).
 I have obtained the electronic documents focused on the topic of the project from the free offers on the Internet but also from the bases of articles that I was able to access through West University of Timisoara. Also, I have met in Oxford Mr. Frank Webster and Mr. Luciano Floridi and they have given me a very important help to find a lot of Internet addresses with many interesting articles for my project.
 The documentary analysis focused on the themes of virtual interactions was applied on 10 books and 57 articles related with this topic and also on a large volume of contextual documents that helped me to build a good theoretical framework.
 The interviews with Internet users preoccupied with computer mediated communication was achieved by two distinct methods: on line questionnaires and face-to-face thematic interviews. Besides these I have made an investigation based on participating observation of two basic forms of Internet Relay Chat (the most popular form of synchronic communication on Internet).
 In the framework of a case study of virtual communities and computer mediated communication I have applied an on-line questionnaire to 42 users with a large experience in Internet Relay Chat. This questionnaire has the follow items:

i). The human factor of community: the average and the maximum number of users; the geographical location; the fluctuation; the level of opening (the option for public or private discussions); the existence of a group profile; the transparency degree and the relation between computer mediated interactions and real life interactions.
ii). Identity aspects: the community representation; the membership feeling; the specific of users.
iii). The rules and values systems;
iv). The social-demographic dates: sex, age, topic of specialization, Internet and IRC experiences, the daily time spent on Internet and IRC.

 The face-to-face thematic interview was applied on 20 users with experience in Internet and many types of computer mediated communication and with specialization in human sciences (sociology, psychology, education, linguistics and philosophy). By these interviews I wanted to verify the validity of the conclusions of the first stage, (which have been used in the experimental structure of the second stage). These interviews contain the follow items:

I1. Are the conversations from the public area (between more than two users) reducible to a sum of two users communications? Why?
I2. What is the importance of common conversation from public area for a users group?
I3. How many users can participate in a common conversation in a public area? Why?
I4. In what ways the computer mediated communication disturb the social behavior of a person?
I5. Does self-definition of identity have any influence (in computer mediated communication) on personality? If yes, in which way?

 The communication in public area of Internet Relay Chat is developed with many users and free access for all (in private area there are only two users and nobody have access to them). Because all the subjects have an educational background in human sciences I have used questions with a high level of specialization (and thus they din not disturb in any way the application of interviews).
 

 The first stage of research has had a descriptive feature and for this was developed without a preliminary hypothetical system. The main objective of the first stage was the realization of a clear analyzes of virtual perspective in Human Sciences and her substantiation. The secondary objective was the theoretical determination of interaction components, focused on identification of the specificity of parallel communication process (the face-to-faces communication).
 After the documentary study achieved in the first stage of the project I discover that though are a very large quantity of publications (printed or electronic versions) about the social implication of virtual space. A lot of theme are written by unspecialisated authors, but with a considerable experience in used of Internet. These documents represent just a subjective account of personal ideas, without to use a strong scientific structure, an adequately research methodology or an analytic discourse with theoretical substantiation.
 These pre-theoretical documents mark the beginning of scientific tackle of a new research area: the virtual social space. As part of these can be defined the following themes: types of organization of virtual social space (virtual communities and groups), virtual social relationship (computer mediated communication and virtual interactions), the identity in virtual space (gender and feminism), on-line education, the culture in virtual space, the economical and political dimensions of virtual social space.
 The most pre-theoretical documents have a positive connotation of theme contents with a favorable perspective of the future evolution of virtual social space and him components. However fascinating can be this topic, the affective feeling of the researcher can not disturb the theoretical tackle of him. Thanks to this optimistic perspective of exaggerated and overestimated of the importance of virtual space has come out a reaction of reject and denied of her.
 From an epistemological point of view the booth trends (the positive promotion and the denied) are normal for the natural evolution of theoretical development of a new scientific area. But it is a slow process and unacceptable for this the end of millennium. The strong scientific intervention is now necessary and can not be postponed because the Internet is a "10,5o Richter in social change" (N.Negroponte in W.Dizard, Meganet, Westview Press, Oxford, 1997). Between the over-auction of the virtual social and him refusal exist an objective middle way which is in a scientific devoted process. Far away to be a fashion or just a simple product the Internet is today a social generator or, more exactly, a support for new forms of social structures and manifestations which complete (and don't substitute) the global social system.
 The new social components generated by Internet are characterized, first of all, by the give up of the spatial proximity in social manifestation of individuals. This aspect was debated from all aspects in many documents and hi has a major importance in the development of inter-individuals and groups process. Another characteristic is determined by the initial profile of the Internet that was projected like a communication system capable to resist to a nuclear conflict. This characteristic is about the possibility to connect two points of the net (two computers) by a high number of different connections and thus the possibility to identify the address of a network station is very low (sometime impossible). Also, the address of computer can say to few (or nothing) about the user and therefore everybody can control in high measure the self-identity, fact which a fundamental outstanding the interactions with other users.
 Another major characteristic is represented by the possibility of manifestation of some behaviors that are unattainable in real life: distribute synchronic communication, one-to-one and one-to-many simultaneous communication, independent and simultaneous multiple interactions and so on.
 These are just few aspects identified until now in the users behavior. In which ways will be developed and improved remains an open problem but the established behaviors allow their rigorous scientific investigation. From among these, by my project I have been focused on the theme of one-multiple communication that I named face-to-faces communication. This kind of communication is relative equivalent with the communication between a leader and the group members from real life. In the virtual plan he is developed simultaneous among all the group members.
 The face-to-faces communication is a text-based synchronic communication, developed in real-time with the computer mediated interactions of all users. Comparatively with other forms of computer mediated synchronic communication, the face-to-faces communication is developed with not less than 3 users. Each participant at this kind of communication is a messages source and in the same time receiver for all other. In this way the transparency of group relationships has a very high level and the dynamic of discourse are improved. In the plan of real life this situation is equivalent with a group conversation in which all members talk in same time and of course that is impossible because the noise disturb the messages. In the virtual plan all are reduced at a succession of messages edited on the computer display with an order and a content determined first of all by the discourse fluency, by the typing abilities and possibly by the quality of connection.
 The idea of face-to-faces communication is seemingly incompatible with the idea of mediation (the completion of this expression can be: the face-to-faces computer mediated communication). Today, until the generalization of audio-video support (if these will be accepted) the individual manifestation on Internet is of the kind "I am what I write".  The notion of "face" in the plan of real life is related to strictly and concretes expression of individual personality. In this space (real life) the face-to-face relationship is developed by a complex and directly (not mediated!) "organic" interaction between two people. In the virtual plan the personality manifestations in relationship (with other) are reducible to a set of messages (texts, audio or videos) and the premise that by these can not be engaged complex individual relationships is obvious false. Still 1995 Steven Jones draw attention in "Cybersociety: Computer Mediated Communication and Community" (California, Sage Publication Ltd.) that: "Communities formed by Computer Mediated Communication have been called 'virtual communities' and defined as incontrovertibly social space in which people still meet face-to-face but under new definitions of booth 'meet' and 'face'" (page 19).
 I have presented here the main conclusions obtained from documentary study related to virtual perspective in Human Sciences (the main objective) and to quantitative and qualitative characteristics of face-to-faces communication (the secondary objective). These ideas were empirical tested and transposed in a set of hypotheses for experimental structure from second stage of the project.
 By the on-line questionnaires I followed to study the rapport between virtual community and computer mediated communication. Complementary with these, the interviews with experimented users of computer mediated communication were focused on the preliminary conclusions and were followed their verification. After the analysis of all dates I have obtained the following ideas set:

The face-to-faces interaction is not reducible to a sum of face-to-face interaction.
The face-to-faces interaction assures a high level of knowledge among group members.
By the face-to-faces communication the inform of group is more shortly.
The face-to-faces communication work unitary just at a reduce number of participants (not more than ten; a too big number of participants determine the development of alternative themes for talk).
The face-to-faces communication can be a very easy answer for the need of sociability by the join in virtual groups and communities.
Computer mediated social interactions disturb the individual conduct from real life by the orientation to extremes: extrovert (by a pro-social socialization: learning and exercising of some abilities to be together and applied of them in real life) or by introvert (by a minimal satisfaction of the need of sociability and the substitute of participation at associative life in the groups from real life).
The possibility to self-define of identity is a disturber factor from personality (by the surpass of taboos and of self-censorship or by the liberation of the frustrations and the attempt of fantasies).

 On the base of these ideas I have developed an explorative experimental structure for the second stage of the project. This is working at present with subjects without experience in computer-mediated communication and Internet. I have used a theoretical sample method with snowball techniques for subject's selection. After the complete of experimental investigation the final analysis of all dates will be presented in the final report.
 

2. An account of the research activities in the first stage of work

Field research, archival studies
 For the documentary study I have used books and other publication on topic from many library: University Central Library of Timisoara, The Academics Library from Timisoara, The County Library Timisoara, The University Library from Cluj-Napoca, The Bodleian Library from Oxford and The Social Science Library from Oxford.
 Also I have found a lot of electronic versions of documents focused on theme with free access on Internet and by university connection I have obtained access at a virtual library (EBSCO).
 From all analyzed documents, the follows are most relevant from my project:

Books:
1. Benedikt, Michael "Cyberspace: First Steps", Cambridge, The MIT Press, 1991
2. Dizard, W. (ed.), "Meganet", Westview Press, Oxford, 1997
3. Dovey Jon (ed). "Fractal Dreams: New Media in Social Context", Lawrence and Wishart, London, 1996
4. Featherstone, Mike and Burrows, Roger (eds) "Cyberspace, Cyberbodies, Cyberpunk", Sage Publication, London, 1995.
5. Heim, Michael "The Metaphysics of Virtual Reality", Oxford University Press, 1993.
6. Jones Steven (ed.) "Cybersociety: Computer Mediated Communication and Community" California, Sage Publication Ltd, 1995.
7. Oravec, Jo Ann, "Virtual Individuals, Virtual Groups", Cambridge University Press, 1996
8. Rheingold, Howard "The Virtual Community", (electronic version), A Willima Patrick Book Addison Wesley, 1993
9. Suler, John "The Psychology of Cyberspace", (hypertext book), Rider University, 1999.
10. Webster, Frank "Theories of the Information Society", Routledge, London, 1995
 

Articles
1. Baym, Nancy (1995) - The Performance of Humor in Computer-Mediated Communication; Wayne State University.
2. Bellcore James (1998) - Hyperbole over Cyberspace: Self-presentations & Social Boundaries in Int Discourse;
3. Birdsall, William (1996) - The Internet and the Ideology of Information Technology, Dalhousie University, Canada.
4. Chenault, Brittney (1998) - Developing Personal and Emotional Relationship via Computer-Mediated Communication.
5. Curry, M. (1997) - Cyberspace and cyberplaces: Rethinking the identity of individual and place;
6. Dowling, P. (1996) - Cyberspace, Subjectivity and The Ascension; University of London.
7. Dubrovsky, V. (1987) - Face to Face Versus Electronic Mail;
8. Edwards, A. - Extra Ordinary Human-Computer Interaction;
9. Ellis, C.A., Gibbs, S.J., Rein and G.L. (1991) - Groupware: Some Issues and Experiences;
10. Erickson Thomas - Social Interaction on the Net: Virtual Community as Participatory Genre;
11. Farina, S. (1995) - Representation(s) and a Sense of Self: The Subtle Abstraction of MOO Talk; Clarkson University
12. Finnemann, Niels Ole (1997) - Modernity Modernised: The Cultural Impact of Computerisation; University of Aarhus, Denmark
13. Fernback, J. & Thompson B. (1995) - Virtual Communities: Abort, Retry, Failure?;
14. Floridi L. (1995) - The Internet as a Disinformation Superhighway?
15. Greif, I. (1988) - Computer-Supported Cooperative Work: A Book of Readings;
16. Halonen, D., Horton, M., Kass, R. and Scott, P. (1990) - Shared Hardware: A Novel Technology for Computer Supported of Face-to-Face Meetings;
17. Harrison, M. and Thimbledy, H. eds.- Formal Methods in Human-Computer Interaction;
18. Haynes, W.L., (1989) - Shifting Media, Shifting Paradigms and the Growing Utility of Narrative as Metaphor. Communication Studies;
19. Hesse, B., Werner, C. and Altman, I. (1988) - Temporal Aspects of Computer-Mediated Communication;
20. Hiltz, S.R. (1984) - On-Line Communities: A Case Study of the Office of the Future;
21. Hiltz, S.R. (1986) - The Virtual Classroom: User Computer Mediated Communication for University Teaching;
22. Hiltz, S.R. and Turoff, M. (1978) - The Network Nation: Human Communication via Computer;
23. Horowitz, I.L. (1986) - Communicating Ideas;
24. Ishii, H. (1989) - Trends of Groupware Technology;
25. Jakson, L. (1987) - Computers and the Social Psychology of Work;
26. Jamison, P.K. (1994), - Contradictory Spaces: Pleasure and the Seduction of the Cyborg Discourse, in "The Arachnet Electronic Journal on Virtual Culture", 2nd vol.
27. Jarvenpaa, S. and Leidner, D. (1998) - Communication and Trust in Global Virtual Teams; The University of Texas at Austin.
28. Johansen, R. (1988) - Groupware: Computer Supported for Business Teams;
29. Johnson, D. (1985) - Computer Etichs;
30. Kontopoulus, K. - The Logics of Social Structure;
31. Kraut, Robert & all (1998) - Internet Paradox: A Social Technology That Reduces Social Involvement and Psychological Well-Being?; Mellon University;
32. Kraut, Robert &all (1998) - Coordination and Virtualization: The Role of Electronic Networks and Personal Relationship;
33. Krueger, M. (1991) - Artificial Reality II;
34. Larijani, L. (1993) - The Virtual Reality Primer;
35. Laurie, E.J. (1979) - Computers, Automation and Society;
36. Lawley, E. (1992) - Discourse and Distorsion in Computer-Mediated Communication;
37. Long, J. and Whitefield, A. - Cognitive Ergonomics and Human-Computer Interaction;
38. Marx, G. (1996) - Electric Eye in the Sky: Some Reflections on the New Surveillance and Popular Culture;
39. Nass, C. and Steuer, J. (1993) - Voice, Box and Sources of Messages: Computers and Social Actors; Stanford University.
40. Negroponte, N. (1995) - Being Digital;
41. Ngwnyama, Ojelanki (1997) - Communication Richness in Electronic Mail: Critical Social Theory and the Contextuality of Meaning; University of Minnesota.
42. Oravec, J.A. (1990) - Interactions in Science and Society;
43. Penzias, A. (1989) - Ideas and Information;
44. Perrolle, J. (1987) - Computers and Social Change;
45. Reid, Elizabeth (1991) - Electropolis: Communication and Community on Internet Relay Chat, University of Melbourne, Australia.
46. Reid, Elizabeth (1994)-  Cultural Formations in Text-Based Virtual Realities - thesis for degree in Master in Art, Melbourne, Australia.
47. Reymers, K. (1998) - Identity and the Internet: A symbolic interactionist perspective on computer-mediated social networks;
48. Rheingold, H. (1991) - Virtual Reality;
49. Rosenbrock, H. (1991) - Machines with Purpose;
50. Sorenssen, Bjorin (1997) - Let your finger do the walking: The space/place metaphor in on-line computer communication;
51. Stough, Roger (1996) - Effect of Information Technology Innovation on Outer Metropolitan Regions; George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia
52. Tart, C. (1990) - Multiple Personality, Altered States and Virtual Reality: The World Simulation Process Approach;
53. Thomson, A. (1993) - Virtual Girl;
54. Turkle, S. (1984) - The Second Self - Computers and the Human Spirit;
55. Wexelblat, A (1993) - Virtual Reality: Applications and Explorations;
56. Willet, Gilles (1995) - Global communication: A modern myth?;
57. Winograd, T. (1989) - Groupware: The Next Wave or Just Another Slogan?;
 

Study trips
 I have had not stipulated any study trips in my project but I have done several with other activities (because I am very interesting in the scientific area of the project). After I sent the project proposal (in October, 1998) I was with a documentary scholarship by a Tempus Project (JEP 12517-97) at Oxford University, St.Anne's College, Great Britain for a month (November 1998). There I have had access to a lot of documentary sources (academic libraries and bookstores) and also I have met Human Sciences teachers interested in topics closed by my project.
 Since November 1999 I have done several trips to Cluj-Napoca for my Ph.D. program and I have accessed the University Library.
 

Conferences, seminars, meetings
 Until now, I have had not the possibility to make a public presentation of the partial results of my project because they have been not organized any conferences, seminars or meetings in Timisoara in the period when I have obtained them (December '99 - March '00). Also, I think that the final results are more imported to be presented in public lectures. My last two academic conferences were with subjects near by the topic of the project: "Sociological tackle of virtual communities" (Academic Days, West University of Timisoara, May 1999) and "The reality of virtual societies" (The 5th International Symposium of Management: The Management of Organizations in the Brink of the 3rd Millennium, Timisoara, November, 1999).

Other specific research activities related to the project
 In November 1999 I have been admitted to doctoral program at Cluj-Napoca University with Prof. Petru Ilut. My Ph.D. subject is: "The Computer-Mediated Social Interactions" and I have an individual prepared program with two examinations (social relationship and experimental structures) and three papers ("The Social Implication of Internet", "From Computer-Mediated Communication to Virtual Communities" and "Virtual Social Interactions: definition and characteristics").
 In 1999 (May-December) I have coordinated a group project with title: "Virtual Communities in Romania" in a research contract with Ministry of Research and Technology from Romania. This project was approved to be continued in 2000 with a extension of investigated space.
 

3. Publications and other preliminary results
 The partial results of this project are in course of publication in an article entitled "Theoretical and Methodological Perspective in Sociological Approach of Virtual Space" for a scientific journal: "The Memories of West University of Timisoara".
 

4. The programme for the next stage of research
After the analyze of the result obtained in the first stage of the project I have designed an explorative quasi-experimental scheme with nonequivalent (pretest and posttest) control group. This type of investigation will allow a final factorial analysis (with beginner / advanced users on computer-mediated face-to-face / face-to-faces relationship). The experiment study is in progress now and will be finished in around 4 month.
 The basic idea of experimental plan was the observation of subjects manifestations in the situation of computer-mediated interpersonal communication (face-to-face) and computer-mediated group communication (face-to-faces) with a comparative analysis between these. The experimental situation - a communication using a computer connected to Internet - represent the first main independent variable of the research. It is a very complex variable because the computer can generate different reactions to beginner users (inhibition, curiosity, tolerance, acceptation, incite, etc.). For this reason first I made by a descriptive test a distribution of the beginner subjects (without any experiences in computer-mediated communication) on three pretest levels: low, middle and high interest in computer area. The final results will be differentiated on these level for obtaining comparatives dates. The control group is represented by three advanced users of computer-mediated communication. The experimental groups are formed from series of three beginner users with a same level of interest in computers area. Each subject (advanced or beginner) will be alone in the experimental situation. The experimental and control groups are interviewed at the beginner (with a common preparation) and the end of experiment (by a focus-group).
 I have conceived an experimental situation with a "naive subject" and four accomplice subjects. The naive subject is invited to join a free computer-mediated conversation (on Internet). This conversation is achieve in a special Internet Real Chat area at which are connected the accomplice users. Each of they has a virtual "clone" - everyone is connected to conversation channel with two nicknames. So the experimental subject "meet" eight users, close by him age, four male, four female and with a geographical locations from USA, Canada and Western Europe (France and Great Britain). I have considered that these locations have an equivalent impact for users and the specific differences are irrelevance.
 The accomplice subjects try with deliberate scenario to draw the naive subject in a common group conversations. These are gradual developed by 4 to 8 users and in the second part of experiment are engaged computer-mediated face-to-face conversations by private callings of naive subject. Each experimental subject is free to join the conversation challenged by other accomplice users. I make a complete supervision by an indirect observation of carry on communications and also by a full recording of then content. For final analysis of experimental situation I study the following aspects: the reaction and the involve in group conversation; the apply style and the preferences in the selection of conversation partners; the options for public or private conversations; the interest for the continuation of developed relationships; the perception of other and the procedures of self-definition of identity.
 Before to start the experiment the subjects must to complete a descriptive questionnaire about interpersonal communication, the new electronic supports of communication and a general profile of personality. Also, I make a group presentation of the computer-mediated communication program (used in experiment) and him utilization. After experiment I apply an interview with each subject for a personal evaluation of the activity and a focus-group with each experimental group.
 In the last part of the project I will make a final analysis of all recorded dates with adequate statistical methods (descriptive, statistical relations and factorial analysis) for the write of the final research report. Also, the project has a distinct stage for the mediation of the results by articles in scientific journals, conferences and meetings. I will try to publish this year a book about the activities and results of the project. Electronic versions of all these will be available on Internet at the project address: http://www.geocities.com/bestofb.
 

5. Miscellaneous
(a) research related
 Until now, I have had a very difficult access to Internet but this is yet a general problem in Romania and all the time we have a lot of difficulties with search of documents, electronic mails or other (computer-mediated) activities.

(b) administration related
 The Research Support Scheme administration is excellent, I have obtained a very good coordination and a professional help during the all time of the first stage. I have sent several e-mail with my vagueness and all the time I have received detailed answers. I want to thank you very much for your support!
 

Abstract
     The project “Virtual Interactions. The face-to-faces communication” represents a scientific approach of a component for a new domain: the sociology of virtual space. Based on a mixed qualitative and quantitative investigation, with a direct related analyses of documents on topic, I try to develop a new concept on this area: the face to faces.
    This is a new kind of social manifestation developed by people in a frame of virtual group activity and represents a parallel reciprocal connection between one and many. In its form of interactions or communication developed on computer mediated space, this new concept are based on a new definition of “face” and also of meet.
     The methodology system was developed on two distinct level: an explorative research (which include a documentary analyses and a qualitative interview) and an experimental research focused on the distinction between one-to-one and one-to-many (face to faces) computer mediated communication.
     The final results represent one of the first scientific interpretation of this new manifestation and can be as preliminary assertions for other secondary studies.
 

Objectives
 In conformity with the grant application (and the evolution of all project) the objectives of research were:
O1. A clear analyses of the virtual perspective in Human Science / successfully achieved.
O2. Identification of difference between the one-to-one interactions (face-to-face) and one-to-many interactions (face-to-faces) / successfully achieved.
O3. What are the quantitative and qualitative performances of parallel communication into the face-to-faces interactions / successfully achieved.
O4. How operate the parallel communication on personality? / successfully achieved.
     The final perspective represents the achieved of each objective from the synthetic analyses of all investigation results.
 I did not operate any change in the structure of objective for my project (contents or form). More than that, based on the final perspective of all activity I have obtained a complementary data which can be collected into supplementary objective concerning the methodological aspects: what are the general characteristics of sociological investigation of virtual social space?.
 

Findings
Based on the structure of objectives, the principal findings of the project are the follow:
O1. A clear analyses of the virtual perspective in Human Science.
    F1. The distinction (used a lot) between virtual social space and real social space (the opposite real / virtual) is not functionally. The virtual social space had a very clear reality, is not a false construct or a full-simulated (artificial construct) but a new (real) dimension of our society. Thus, the virtual interactions are a very complex phenomenon and involve new characteristics of associative life.
    F2. The simulation of spatial proximity represent a medium where can be connected two or more social manifestations of people with different cultural models, interactions experience and social representation.

O2. Identification of difference between the one-to-one interactions (face-to-face) and one-to-many interactions (face-to-faces).
    F3. The face-to-faces interaction is not reducible to a sum of face-to-face interaction.
    F4. The face-to-faces communication work unitary just at a reduce number of participants (not more than ten; a too big number of participants determine the development of alternative themes for talk).

O3. What are the quantitative and qualitative performances of parallel communication into the face-to-faces interactions.
    F5. The face-to-faces interaction assures a high level of knowledge among group members.
    F6. By the face-to-faces communication the inform of group is more shortly.

O4. How operate the parallel communication on personality?
    F7. The face-to-faces communication can be a very easy answer for the need of sociability by the join in virtual groups and communities.
    F8. Computer mediated social interactions can disturb the individual conduct from real life by the orientation to extremes: extrovert (by a pro-social socialisation: learning and exercising of some abilities to be together and applied of them in real life) or by introvert (by a minimal satisfaction of the need of sociability and the substitute of participation at associative life in the groups from real life).
    F9. The possibility to self-define of identity is a disturber factor from personality (by the surpass of taboos and of self-censorship or by the show of the frustrations and the attempt of fantasies).

 All these findings are very important for theoretical dimensions of present information society. With other word, the findings are related (more than a region) to all contemporary society.
 From scientific significance this research represent one of the first steps in research of a new topic: the sociology of virtual space. I agree that by this project I did not cover all the contents and all forms of  virtual social interactions. I accept that maybe it's not a perfect approach or that it can be improved. But I know that it's one of the very few  scientific investigations (from entire world) about the virtual interactions and the first with this structure on a new concept: the face-to-faces communications.

Difficulties
    A large part of the project was based on Internet research. This activity  (developed especially in the first stage) has some difficulties related to Internet access. As I said in the Interim Report my university was frequently disconnected from Internet for a period (daily or more days consecutive). To solve this problem I have changed my work program (early in the morning, late on the evening or in weekends). This was a technological problem and is “normal” (but not desirable) for a society with not so many resources. I consider that the only thing that can be learn from this experiences is “to try all alternatives or to don't quit until the obtaining of final results”.

    In the second stage I had another difficulty related to methodological structure of experimental plan. My intention was to investigate a new social component with a complex methodology approach, developed on booth, qualitative and quantitative dimensions. The problem was related to the formalisation of the research object into experimental structure, or, more exactly, to delimited the experimental variable and to control them effects. Generally talking the first profile of experimental investigation had an acceptable functionality but, I considered that is better to adjust it for a more adequate and efficient model (conform the new perspective about the theme, formulated from the syntheses of all information obtained in the first stage). With other words, I operate an adjustment from a dominant quantitative (experimental profile) to a dominant qualitative profile.
 I consider that this difficulty was generated by two main causes:
i). the complexity of investigated object (computer mediated social interactions) - it is a very new social component, not yet enough investigated and, more important, not yet complete developed in virtual social manifestations (with other word, the reality of the concept it-self are in construction process);
ii). the point of approach - from a general perspective of social interactions (which offer a general frame for investigation and basically information contents) and not from group activity (where this type of manifestation are more developed and its complex structure can be presented in more detailed components).

    The solution that I have used for this problem has two main components:
- first of all, I had developed a complex methodological system (with techniques from quantitative and qualitative approach) which has offer a valid complementary information to adjust the experimental design. I don't change the methodological (general profile) but only the experimental situation from second stage. Based on the information obtained in the frame of the project and in other related activities I was able to make a series of corrections that have offered a more complex and adequate approach.
- second, the final conclusions represent a syntheses of data from all research activities (not only from experiment) and are integrated into coherent and consistent discourse.

    The difficulty to develop a complete initial methodology for an explorative investigation (focused on a research object with few preliminary information about it) is generally. From my experience, I consider that in the develop of framework activities (with multilevel methodology) it is better to don't have a so strictly approach in second stage.
With other words, an explorative investigation is made in some not too much reviewed topic (something that must be reviewed by the result of research). So, if is developed a complex systems for research (with two or more stages) is better to keep the possibility to adjust the investigation considering the result of first stage. If all other activities can be defined and structural completed based on the preliminary result (not only by the initial researcher perspective), it will be obtained a more efficient and more adequate methodological system that can assure more complex information.
 In conclusion, an acceptable level of flexibility in used methodology on the explorative research is a very useful aspect for entire research.
 

Future developments
 I consider that a very useful completion of this project result is a second investigation of virtual interactions focused on (natural and artificial) group activities. This new research will obtain a more detailed results about the functionality frame of face to faces interaction from the organisational perspective.
 With booth dimensions - the specific content and the context of manifestation - the new concept of face-to-faces will be complete defined.
 On other hand, the theoretical approach of this domain is still just on incipient level and for this is necessary a good mediatization of all results obtained from the achieved studies.
 The conclusions of these study can be a good base from other new researches which can use them. Thus, (once again) the good mediatization of the research result is a strong condition for epistemological develop of this new topic (sociology of virtual space).
 

General remarks
 From my experience to carrying out the project, I can say that entire relations with Research Support Scheme were on a high level of efficiency. All the papers concerning the project are very clearly and offer a lot of helpfully information about the request form, structure and other aspects. Also, the contact with the project supervisor was always achieved in perfect conditions.
 For all this professional support (in all components) of Research Support Scheme during the period of project development, I sincerely want to thank you very much! This collaboration was a very important experiences for my professional formation and therefore please ignore these remarks in the evaluation of the final report!
 I am not sure if the RSS activity will continue in one or other form, but it's clear that in this millennium end (with a so high level of civilisation change) the basic research (in all domain) are a vital activity for the develop a more functionally and valid society.
 
 

General presentation
 The project “Virtual Interactions. The face-to-faces communication” was developed in two research stages: an explorative investigation and an experimental investigation (with a final period for global analysis, promotion and printing of results).
 The explorative research focused on the theme of virtual interactions was achieved by a documentation analysis completed with interviews applied to experimental Internet users. After documentation analysis I have obtained a set of conclusions which I have developed into the qualitative interviews. The result of these activities was used for the assumptions system of experimental structure achieved in the second stage.
 All the partial data - obtained from documentary analyses, interview and experimental investigation - was finally integrated in a global perspective defined from the structure of main objectives.

Theoretical model
 The development of all project was based on a theoretical model for definition and interpretation of its investigated object. The general structure of the theoretical model was developed concerning the explorative characteristic of the research - without a delimited hypotheses system and thus without a classical conceptually operationalisation. The main theoretical frame was defined by the structure of objectives and was used for conceive the project general profile (presented in the initial project application).
 After the documentary analyses of most relevant documents on topic I adjust and complete into more detailed form the theoretical approach of the virtual social space and its components (especially, virtual interactions). A large part of this model represents the content of first objective: O1. A clear analyses of the virtual perspective in Human Science. I decide to include here the main findings concerning this objective (and not in the chapter about the findings and conclusions) because I will have a more coherent structure of the discourse - after the presentation of theoretical structure of the project, I will explain the methodological system, afterwards the data analyses and interpretation and, in the final, the general conclusions.
 The virtual social space it's now a very complex element, extended to entire world with more than 370 millions users on-line (on August, 2000)  and with an exponentially daily grow. The phenomena can not anymore be ignored by the scientific approach and this was one of the main motivation for project.
Based on a general review of the literature on topic, completed and detailed by the documentary study achieved in the first stage of the project I can distinct two main perspective: i). a very positive consideration of social virtual space and its components and ii). a denied discourse concerning the possibility to extend the social manifestation into this new area. I will detailed the content of these approaches on the chapter about the findings and conclusions.
 I try to find an intermediary position, defined by the follow ideas:
- the sociological research does not include the value judgements (it doesn’t matter if this new topic is better or worse than other, but only if it exist or don't);
- the all components of the virtual space can be approached by the classical paradigms, but is necessary to accept new theoretical contents (for the new characteristics and manifestation of these components);

 In the development of theoretical model, the first part is focused on the problems related with the virtual attribute. All the components of virtual social space (structures, interactions, relations, models, process and so on) have a main common characteristic: are all virtually. This mean that all of them have a strictly dependence by the support offer from information and communication technology. Almost all objections concerning the validity and the consistent of virtual space (and its components) are related to this characteristics - the virtually -, defined and accepted like a finality of a simulation processes. This is a notion which come from Latin word simulare and basically it mean the action to make to look true something i-real, to give intentionally a false impression. On this primary level appear an ethic problem concerning the activity of simulation because it's finality is differed (in intention and content) by reality (“an wanted false”). The action to make a false is certainly an harm made to the true.
 But, in the file of scientific research the perspective is different. In this area the simulation is used for to test, check and measure the effects generated by the actions of some new factors (under the control of researcher). This is not an appearance of the real but an effective reality, developed into artificial condition with scientific goal and named: virtual reality. This is an other form of the manifestation of the existence with many implications, not yet enough explored. One of them is represented by the virtual social space (generated by the interference of virtually with social space).
 At this level I want to make a notions clarification here. Usually the virtual society (and all its virtual components) is defined by comparative with real society. This generate a basic confusion because the reality can only be or not (it doesn't has intermediate stages). If something is different from reality then certainly is unreal and thus doesn’t exist. So, the virtual reality is not different by reality but is different by concrete reality. And booths of them are complete real.
 Based on the simulation of spatial proximity with the support of computer networks, the social virtual space is developed on a general structure that is similar to the concrete society. Can be defined two main elements specific to virtual societies: the computerised support and the (exclusively) mediated interactions among participants. By a developed of these two main aspects can be formulate the follow assertions:
-  the virtual social space exist and are developed (only) inside of computers network (which obtain a similar role like natural environment for concrete social space);
- the support of information and communication technology (the “natural” environment of virtual social space) is made by man and, more important, is under permanent and exclusively control of man;
- the virtual society is not an independent alternative to the concrete society but only another modality of its manifestation;
- the overtake the geographical determination involve the content and the volume of human (virtual) interactions;
- the persons who join virtual interactions developed relationship with the structure: user/computer/network/computer/user.

 Started from these assertions, in the second part of theoretical model I have focused on the theme of virtual interactions and mediated communication. Computer mediated communication is a central component of the activities developed on Internet. In concrete social space not any interactions can be defined like a communication process (which suppose some strictly condition), but in virtual space any interactions are developed inside of a communication process. From these it can be obtained a first characteristic of virtual interactions: they represent an exchange of understated messages between two or more users.
 The implication in a virtual interactions is determinate by the personal wish and that offer another main characteristics: this kind of social manifestation (of the Internet users) has in its basic structure an associative intention. With other word, the interactions generated by a social actor into “virtual environment” are determinate by him/her wish to find or to meet somebody. The simulation of spatial proximity is not an imperative or an over-individual condition but a result of a personal decision to connect and to communicate on the Internet. In concrete social space a lot of interactions are generated by randomised relations or contextual determination without an high implication of personal choice (these all have a more reduced presence in virtual social space).
 The communication represent in virtual social space a very important process with a direct implication in the basically structure of cyber-existence. Without the access of the Internet (which mean a “communication” process among the user's computer and a proximity server) the user doesn't exist in virtual space. Without any contact with other users (developed only by a communication process) he/she doesn't have any virtual social existence (nobody can know about him/her presence). Therefore, translated a classical idea, we can affirm that in virtual social space “I communicate, so I exist”.
 Computer mediated communication present two main forms: synchronous and asynchronous. In the follow rows I will make a short presentation of them.
 The asynchronous computer mediated communication is a passive form developed in a long time by a succession of complex and detailed messages (for a complete presentation of the ideas). The users involved in this kind of communication generate successive actions of codification, sending, receiving and decoding of messages in delimited sequences, without a real time interaction.
 The message from this type of communication is determined by the contents previous received, by the personal interpretation of them and by expected interpretation of the new informational content (by the addressee). Therefore the messages launched in an asynchronous mediated communication are very complex, with many details and with a direct perturbation on the friability of the process. Another main characteristic of this kind of communication is represented by the suppose of minimal inter-knowledge among users. To can send a message is strictly necessary to know the electronic address of receiver and also, any message include the “virtual location” of the author. The main form of this kind of communication developed on the Internet is the “e-mail” (electronic mail) .
The synchronous computer mediated communication is dynamic communication achieved in real time and based on a mediated and "some time" interactions among users. It suppose the emission and the receive of some short messages (displayed on the screen and typed from keyboard). This kind of communication can be developed between two or more users with a form of interpersonal or group “discussions”. Also, this type of communication is developed in special area which not involve a real identification of participants. The main form of computer mediated synchronous communication is the Internet Relay Chat .
 As I said above, any interaction developed in virtual space is based on a communication process. This mean that any interpersonal or group  interaction have in its core a communication among participants. For this domain (of interactions) it can be delimited two generally type (reported to the number of users): one-to-one interactions and one-to-many interactions. If one-to-one is similar with the face-to-face interaction from the concrete social space, the one-to-many interactions present a different structure with some specific components. It is similar with communication between leader and group members from a concrete situation. In virtual space it can be achieved by anybody who want to talk with many people in some time (the condition to be group leader is not anymore necessary).
 In the framework of this project I will define the face-to-faces situation as a new concept developed in virtual social space into the interaction between one user and many users. The alternative formulation can be “computer mediated face-to-faces interactions / communication” but this expression includes a sources for contradictions  and also a limitation of the concept (only to virtual space). This new concept are defined by a common area of virtual interactions (= a common space of communications) for three or more users which are not necessary constituted like a group. In the follow rows I'll present an investigative model for approach the face-to-faces communication.
 

Methodological system
 For the investigation of this new concept (the face to faces communication as a distinct form of virtual interactions) I developed a complex methodology approach with component from booth, qualitative and quantitative perspectives. The main structure of methodology was projected on two stages: an explorative level and an experimental scheme. First I want to find the general frame of the virtual interactions (in general) and the face-to-faces communication (especially). For this I use an documentary study focused on the topic and also an qualitative interview with experimented users.
 I defined the documentary study like a distinct stage in methodology structure  because it had an high importance in the research global. This documentation has included also the other research (not so many until now) focused on similar topic and the conclusions of papers analyses (the data of  first level)  were the base for the formulation of the interview structure and also were reported to the final findings.
 The qualitative interview with experimented users was applied in concrete meeting (direct / non-mediated interactions) and was focused on the preliminary ideas obtained by the documents analyses. I have translated my intermediary perspective about the topic in five general items (in a non-structured form) focused on the contents and manifestations of one-to-many virtual interactions. I have applied this interview to 20 users selected by the “snow ball” technique (each users had recommended other compatible subjects) and I have put the accent on the content of interrogations and not on the form. This approach in qualitative manner had offered me a complex information (the data of second level) to develop the final experimental design. The items of interview guide are the follow:

I1. Are the conversations from the public area (among more than two users) reducible to a sum of two users communications? Why?
I2. What is the importance of common conversation from public area for a users group?
I3. How many users can participate in a common conversation in a public area? Why?
I4. In what ways the computer mediated communication disturb the social behaviour of a person?
I5. Does self-definition of identity have any influence (in computer mediated communication) on personality? If yes, in which way?
 

 Based on a preliminary analyses of interview conclusions (reported to the documentary results) I developed an experimental design for the second stage of the project. The main idea of this investigation was to obtain a clear delimitation of the content of one-to-many communication (which I can named from this point face-to-faces communication).
 During the experimental research I have obtained some contradictory data concerning the variables measurement which make me to adjust its profile. Thus, in the first form I have designed an explorative quasi-experimental scheme with non-equivalent (pre-test and post-test) control group.
 The basic idea of experimental plan was the observation of subject’s manifestations in the situation of computer-mediated interpersonal communication (face-to-face) and computer-mediated group communication (face-to-faces) with a comparative analysis between these. The experimental situation - a communication using a computer connected to Internet - represent the first main independent variable of the research. It was a very complex variable because the computer can generate different reactions to beginner users (inhibition, curiosity, tolerance, acceptation, incite, etc.). For this reason first I made a distribution of the beginner subjects (without any experiences in computer-mediated communication) on three pre-test levels: low, middle and high interest in computer area. Each subject (advanced or beginner) was alone in the experimental situation. The experimental and control groups were interviewed at the start (with a common preparation) and the end of experiment (by a focus group).
 I have conceived an experimental situation with a “naive subject” and four accomplice subjects. The naive subject is invited to join a free computer-mediated conversation (on Internet). This conversation is achieve in a special Internet Real Chat area at which are connected the accomplice users. Each of they has a virtual “clone” - everyone is connected to conversation channel with two nicknames. So, the experimental subject “meet” eight users, close by him age, four male, four female and with a geographical locations from USA, Canada and Western Europe (France and Great Britain). I have considered that these locations have an equivalent impact for users and the specific differences are irrelevance.
 The accomplice subjects try with deliberate scenario to draw the naive subject in a common group conversations. These are gradual developed by 4 to 8 users and in the second part of experiment are engaged computer-mediated face-to-face conversations by private callings of naive subject. Each experimental subject is free to join the conversation challenged by other accomplice users. I have made a complete supervision by an indirect observation of carry on communications and also by a full recording of then content. For final analysis of experimental situation I study the following aspects: the reaction and the involve in group conversation; the apply style and the preferences in the selection of conversation partners; the options for public or private conversations; the interest for the continuation of developed relationships; the perception of other and the procedures of self-definition of identity.
 After few series of experimental subject I have observed that the experimental situation content many factors which generate some randomise secondary effects which disturb all results. For example, the experimental subjects ability to use the keyboard (to find and to press the keys), determinate in a major proportion the content of communication. Also, the research condition (the status of “subject”) in an academic space (information laboratory of the sociology department) disturb the subjects participation (they perceive the study more than an official request and not as an research activity). The control of main dependent variable (the ono-to-one / one-to-many communication) was very difficult to achieved, because the subjects inhibitions (for idea of experiment and for computer use) generate a large time of conversation, with a very low level of coherent and with poor communication content reduced (in generally) to the few answer for direct questions.
 For thus, I decide to adjust the experimental situation with the keep up of general research frame. For the second profile of experimentation, first of all I tried to reduce the actions of “computer use” factors and its secondary effect. Thus, I have moved all the experimental action in the virtual space on the Internet. For this I use the IRC program which offer a perfect condition for study:
? the users who join a chat program have pass the first contact with the computer;
? the mediated interactions between my and the subjects doesn't content any inhibitions related to research activity or academic structure (they had all the time the possibility to quit the experiment without any control for me);
? the IRC is a synchronous form of communication with real time interactions and support in very good condition booth one-to-one and one-to-many communication ;
? the activity (and the presence) of IRC's users are basically related to communication and thus is total compatible with the experimental main content;

 In the new form, I make a differentiation’s between the two kind of communication by apply few questions in two different way: in public area and in private area. For public area I have used three different connections (which have simulated three participants) and from each of them I send some questions and comments. The experimental subjects “meet” on a dedicated channel three different users who “talk” in generally about some aspects related with virtual space and virtual communities. Inside of this general talking I have inserted (from different connections) the established questions. So, the user was invited to join this dedicated channel for a scientific research and to involve the conversion with the users found on it (actually my connection with three different name from different three computers ). My speed of typewriting doesn’t generate any delay in the messages sent from the three computers. For ono-to-one conversation I just open a private window with experimental users and in a similar general conversation I have inserted the questions.
 This new experimental profile was more efficient and offers a more consistent results. It was applied to 70 users, divided in two categories: controls group of 10 users (which engage only private communications) and an experimental group of 60 users (which engage only public communications). All users have respond - in a non-explicit way  - to the follow items:
Q1. What represent your nickname?
Q2. What area of conversation do you prefer? Why?
Q3. Do you have a constant group of users on IRC?
Q4. Do you think that the IRC users can constitute a community? Why? If YES, do you think that you are a member of it?
Q5. What are you most important things in your life?

 I have preferred a short list of items because, first of all I was interested by a comparative analyses between this two kind of structure and not exactly the representations of the answers. Thus, the most important aspect was that to obtain answers to all items (not the complexity or consistence of them) and with a too large format was the possibility to obtained a lot of abandons (with this format I had only 8 abandons).
 The experimental results (the data of third level) was integrated with the previous information into complete developed of the content of face-to-faces concept.
 

Results and data interpretation

 The documentary study result was used first on the design of interview guide (applied to experimented users) and second during the entire research activity as a referential structure in a comparative analyses. One of the main assertion was that the core of the investigated object is a new entity, with a very few dedicated documents and which must be complete defined after the finalisation of research. 

 From the qualitative interview (applied to 20 users with experience in Internet usage and computer mediated communication activity) I had obtained the follow assumptions (formulated not by an advanced statistics but by a general trend of the answers contents ):
        - the conversations from the public area (among more than two users) is not reducible to a sum of two users communications because the each message displayed in “public window” is received by all participant and influence the them behaviours;
        - each users group who join a synchronous mediated communication develop a general public profile of them interactions, based on the idea of transparency and equal access to specific information. For these reason, the communication in public area (between one-to-many or face-to-faces) is a strong condition for an available group activity.
        - generally, the quality (coherence, consistence and continuity) of a “public” communication is inversely proportional with the number of participants; can be estimated an maximal number of 8 to 10 users who can join a public communication with an acceptable level of quality. To many users in “public (virtual) space” generate some alternative subjects for conversation.
        - about the effect of the computer mediated communication on the social behaviour, I receive two kind of perceptions: first, a general accept that the Internet and IRC usage can determinate an addiction reflected by a diminution of other activity developed in concrete social life (a focalisation on the spending time at home or at computer-club). Second, an half of subject have emphasised that the Internet and IRC usage is very useful way to obtain an high level of sociability and the other half have insisted on the high level of information which can be obtained.
        - from a different perspective, the possibility of anonymity (on IRC interactions) can disturb in deep manner the stability of the self and the manifestation of the personality, basically by the application of some hypothetical role;
 

 These all interview results was integrated in the basically structure of experimental investigation and also, in the final complete analyses of the findings. After these two investigative activities I have obtained a large part of the general content of the concept of face to faces communication.
The main hypothesis of experimental design was: in an computer-mediated environment, the face-to-faces (one to many) interactions are more accessible than the face-to-face (one-to-one) interactions. With other words, people join more easily a public conversation developed on a synchronous mediated area than into a private computer mediated interactions. In some situation, an one-to-one communication can be more interesting for users because here can be found other person with a more compatible profile of personality, interests and expectations (and thus can be developed a stronger relationship). The problem is that to join a private interactions must be carry out some preliminary conditions: to find other user, to obtain him/her accept for a private communication and, of course, to have a compatible profile. The experimented group was main oriented on these aspects, showing a general interest first for my identity, second for the research activity (promoted by “to join a conversation”) and finally - with a few interest - to develop the answers of my (indirect) questions.
 In the “public (virtual) area” is easier to join a conversation developed among users (who not necessary have a group structure) with a clear virtual behaviours reflected by them messages. Thus, a large parts of experimental subjects (70% or 42 users) join directly the (lead) conversation with complex and extended answers. Only 30% (18 users) from experimental group wait for more detailed contents of the public conversations and develop a general more simple communication. These two kind of behaviours can be explained by the personality profile and also by the context of IRC usage (the available time to joint the IRC and the other engaged communications in the moment of achieve the experiment).
 These main delimitation between one-to-one mediated interactions and face-to-faces communication are related to all previous result obtained by the first stage of research. As I said above, the analyses of experimental result was focused on the qualitative dimension of the subjects activities and not on them explicit content.

 In a detailed presentation, the experimental results are the follow:
subjects profile:
characteristics         TOTAL                                               experimental group                    control group
                              70 subjects (100%)                          60 subjects (100%)               10 subjects (100%) 
sex:                        male 53 (76%)                                     male 46 (76%) ;                        male 7 (70%)
                              female 17 (24%);                                 female 14 (24%)                        female 3 (30%);
age:                     under 20             33                                29                                             4
                                    21 - 30      34                          28                                             6
                            over 31                3                                3                                               0

specialisation domain    student  25
                                    ICT  10
                                    other  10
                                    no answer 25
geographical location
                                    Romania 44
                                    Europe  9
                                    USA continent 4
                                    other location 7
                                    no answer 6
IRC experience
                                    1 or less year     26
                                    2 to 5 year         15
                                    5 year or more     5
                                    no answer          24

Answers analyses:

Q1. What represent your nickname?
 The option for a nickname is related in general by personal components (first name, age and other characteristics) and also by computer games. This nicknames are considered a first step of self-definition of identity in the relationship with other people.

Q2. What area of conversation do you prefer? Why?
 The general trend was to prefer private area (45,7% from all users / 25 experimental subjects and 7 control subjects). The public area is preferred by 24,2% of users (17 experimental subjects), booth by 17,1% (12 experimental subjects) and 12,8% don’t answer (6 experimental users and 3 control users).
 The motivation for this distribution was offered especially by the experimental group (engaged in face to faces communications) and consists in the present low level of coherent of conversation developed in public area.

Q3. Do you have a constant group of users on IRC?
 The distribution of the answers of this item is the follow: yes, I have 61,4% (37 experimental users and 6 control users).
 Based on the other remarks made on face-to-faces communications (by experimental subjects) the knowledge related to the members of these groups is on an average level and is generated also by concise meetings.

Q4. Do you think that the IRC users can generate a community? Why?
If YES, do you think that you are a member of it?
 At this item was a special problem related with alternative sense associated to the concept of community (sect or other special organisation). Thus 58,5% from subjects (37 experimental subjects and 4 control users) have affirmed the existence of the virtual community, 22,8% (16 experimental users) have denied it and 18,5% (7 experimental users and 6 control users) have don’t know or don’t answer.
 Like the answers of other items, more detailed information was offered by the communication in public space (experimental users). This item generates some other conversation about the relation between real and virtual.
 About the appurtenance to a virtual community this idea was in equal measure accepted and denied (by the subjects who accept its existence).

Q5. What are you most important things in your life?
 On this final item was clear reflected the delimitation of contents (of the answers) between the public and the private area. The more complex and developed answers were obtained in a more favourable communication frame and the public area strictly represented this. Of course this situation is not usually for IRC public communication because there are a lot of disturbs sources, but basically, all experimental users (engaged in a face to faces communication) have offered a personal explication for them values system. 
 
 

Findings and conclusion
     After the documentary study achieved in the first stage of the project I discover that though are a very large quantity of publications (printed or electronic versions) about the social implication of virtual space, a lot of theme are written by unspecialised authors, but with a considerable experience in used of Internet. These documents represent just a subjective account of personal ideas, without to use a strong scientific structure, an adequately research methodology or an analytic discourse  with theoretical substantiation.
 These pre-theoretical documents mark the beginning of scientific tackle of a new research area: the virtual social space. As part of these can be defined the following themes: types of organisation of virtual social space (virtual communities and groups), virtual social relationship (computer mediated communication and virtual interactions), the identity in virtual space (gender and feminism), on-line education, the culture in virtual space, the economical and political dimensions of virtual social space.
 The most pre-theoretical documents have a positive connotation of theme contents with a favourable perspective of the future evolution of virtual social space and him components. However fascinating can be this topic, the affective feeling of the researcher can not disturb the theoretical tackle of him. Thanks to this optimistic perspective of exaggerated and overestimated of the importance of virtual space has come out a reaction of reject and denied of her.
 From an epistemological point of view the booth trends (the positive promotion and the denied) are normal for the natural evolution of theoretical development of a new scientific area. But it is a slow process and unacceptable for this the end of millennium. The strong scientific intervention is now necessary and can not be postponed because the Internet is a “10,5o Richter in social change” (N.Negroponte in W.Dizard, Meganet, Westview Press, Oxford, 1997). Between the over-auction of the virtual social and him refusal exist an objective middle way which is in a scientific devoted process. Far away to be a fashion or just a simple product the Internet is today a social generator or, more exactly, a support for new forms of social structures and manifestations which complete (and don't substitute) the global social system.
 The new social components generated by Internet are characterised, first of all, by the give up of the spatial proximity in social manifestation of individuals. This aspect was debated from all aspects in many documents and hi has a major importance in the development of  inter-individuals and groups process. Another characteristic is determined by the initial profile of the Internet, which was projected like a communication system capable to resist to a nuclear conflict. This characteristic is about the possibility to connect two points of the net (two computers) by a high number of different connections and thus the possibility to identify the address of a network station is very low (sometime impossible). Also, the address of computer can say to few (or nothing) about the user and therefore everybody can control in high measure the self-identity, fact which a fundamental outstanding the interactions with other users.
 Another major characteristic is represented by the possibility of manifestation of some behaviours that are unattainable in real life: distribute synchronic communication, one-to-one and one-to-many simultaneous communication, independent and simultaneous multiple interactions and so on.
 These are just few aspects identified until now in the user behaviour. In which ways will be developed and improved remains a open problem but the established behaviours allow their rigorous scientific investigation. From among these, by my project I have been focused on the theme of one-multiple communication that I named face-to-faces communication. This kind of communication is relative equivalent with the communication between a leader and the group members from real life. In the virtual plan he is developed simultaneous among all the group members.
 The face-to-faces communication is a text-based synchronic communication, developed in real-time with the computer mediated interactions of all users. Comparatively with other forms of computer mediated synchronic communication, the face-to-faces communication is developed with not less than 3 users. Each participant at this kind of communication is a messages source and in the same time receiver for all other. In this way the transparency of group relationships has a very high level and the dynamic of discourse are improved. In the plan of real life this situation is equivalent with a group conversation in which all members talk in same time and of course that is impossible because the noise disturb the messages. In the virtual plan all are reduced at a succession of messages edited on the computer display with an order and a content determined first of all by the discourse fluency, by the typing abilities and possibly by the quality of connection.
     The idea of face-to-faces communication is seemingly incompatible with the idea of mediation (the completion of this expression can be: the face-to-faces computer mediated communication). Today, until the generalisation of audio-video support (if these will be accepted) the individual manifestation on Internet is of the kind “I am what I write“.  The notion of “face” in the plan of real life is related to strictly and concretes expression of individual personality. In this space (real life) the face-to-face relationship is developed by a complex and directly (not mediated!) “organic” interaction between two people. In the virtual plan the personality manifestations in relationship (with other) are reducible to a set of messages (texts, audio or videos) and the premise that by these can not be engaged complex individual relationships is obvious false.
    Still 1995 Steven Jones draw attention in “Cybersociety: Computer Mediated Communication and Community” (California, Sage Publication Ltd.) that: “Communities formed by Computer Mediated Communication have been called 'virtual communities' and defined as incontrovertibly social space in which people still meet face-to-face but under new definitions of booth ‘meet’ and ‘face’“ (page 19).

 By a synthetic presentation, the final conclusions obtained from the research activity can be resumed in the follow assumption:
     The distinction (used a lot) between virtual social space and real social space (the opposite real / virtual) is not functionally. The virtual social space had a very clear reality, is not a false construct or a full-simulated (artificial construct) but a new (real) dimension of our society. Thus, the virtual interactions are a very complex phenomenon and involve new characteristics of associative life.
    The philosophical problem of delimitation between true and false or between real and i-real can not be extend in the area of virtual reality. We have in present a new dimension of our social existence which are called “virtual society” (with all “virtual components”) and which are on the some level of realism to the effective reality.
     The simulation of spatial proximity represent a medium where can be connected two or more social manifestations of people with different cultural models, interactions experience and social representation.
Based on the technological support of simulation, the virtual social space offers a new scientific topic with new specific components (structures, interactions, relations and so on). All them existence is not defined by the scientific approach.
     The face-to-faces interaction is not reducible to a sum of face-to-face interaction.
 The new social components developed in virtual space have a specific structure and manifestation. They are all parts of a global system and present an individual (strictly limited) profile. Thus, the face-to-faces interaction is a complex structure that can be complete developed only in virtual interactions.
     The face-to-faces communication work unitary just at a reduce number of participants (not more than ten; a too big number of participants determine the development of alternative themes for talk).
 The functionality of face-to-face communication is related to the personal resources of each participant and therefore can not be involved (on the some time and with the some topic) by a large number of users.
     The face-to-faces interaction assures a high level of knowledge among group members.
 Like a group specific activity, the face-to-faces communication offer a total transparency of all messages sent in common virtual space, which assure a good knowledge exchange between the members.
     By the face-to-faces communication the inform of group is shorter than other forms.
 This kind of communication structured on the model of one (message source) and many (receivers) need the shortest time for group information. This model can be defined like a parallel simultaneous communication among group members.
     The face-to-faces communication can be a very easy answer for the need of sociability by the join in virtual groups and communities. From an individual point of view the face-to-face communication are more quickly than other form because each members can send the message without reporting to a ordering positions.
    Computer mediated social interactions can disturb the individual conduct from real life by the orientation to extremes: extrovert (by a pro-social socialisation: learning and exercising of some abilities to be together and applied of them in real life) or by introvert (by a minimal satisfaction of the need of sociability and the substitute of participation at associative life in the groups from real life).
    The possibility to self-define of identity is a disturber factor from personality (by the surpass of taboos and of self-censorship or by the show of the frustrations and the attempt of fantasies).

Finally, I want to make some methodological remarks about all the research activity (and based on the experience obtained in this activity). The research of a new component of social domain (the virtual society and its components) can extend its content by integration of new specific elements. With other words, the methodology concerning the virtual society can be improved with new models of approach related to general characteristics of this new research object:
            - the possibility to apply an interrogative technique in a mediated interactions (between researcher and subjects);
            - the facility to record all the content of this interactions (which is similar with a video record in classical
            research) without any disturbed effects;
            - the possibility to organise and to manage in a very easy way and with a full control, all king of group investigations.