대인 커뮤니케이션 매체의 속성에 관한 연구：매체 간 비교

국문 초록 (Abstract)

커뮤니케이션 능력은 사회적으로 합당하면서도 동시에 목표 달성에 가장 효율적인 매체를 선택하는 능력을 의미한다. 다매체 시대의 적극적이고 능동적인 수용자들은 매체 이용에 따른 경제적 비용보다는 매체의 상황적 적합성과 매체가 인간관계의 향후 진로에 미치는 영향을 중시하게 되었다. 적절한 매체 선택은 곧 성공적인 커뮤니케이션과 직결되므로 매체 선택 행위는 매체 고유의 속성과 주어진 커뮤니케이션 상황을 연결시키는 작업이다. 본 연구는 매체 선택의 기준은 커뮤니케이션을 통해서 추구하는 목표와 커뮤니케이션 당사자들 사이의 인간관계의 본질에 달려 있다고 보고, 다양한 매체를 비교하면서 이들 사이의 기능적 관계 및 각 매체에 대한 수용자의 인식을 밝혔다. 특히 본 연구는 대인 커뮤니케이션 상황을 중심으로 이동전화와 인터넷 같은 새로운 매체가 면대면 접촉이나 유선전화, 편지같은 전통적 매체를 어떤 식으로 대체, 보완, 혹은 강화하는지 중점적으로 논의하였다.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Communicative competence can be defined as an ability to choose a ‘socially appropriate’ and at the same time ‘efficient’ medium to achieve any given communication goal. Active communicators in the multimedia multichannel environment place more emphasis on the contextual fitness of a medium and the relational consequences that the medium implies. Because the choice of media is a prerequisite to a successful communication, the characteristics of media should match given communication situation. The current study posits that the criteria for media choice lies in the communication goals and the nature of relationship between communicators. As such, this study tried to compare the characteristics of various interpersonal communication media based on audience perception. Particularly, a special attention was paid to the way how the new media replace, supplement, or reinforce the traditional media. Regarding communication situation, information dissemination and information gathering represent obvious and routine situations, whereas request and consulting represent ambiguous and nonroutine situations. Regarding the relationship between communicators, friends and family represent horizontal relationships, whereas elders and superiors represent vertical relationships. In terms of social presence, face-to-face was rated the highest, followed by (traditional, wired)telephone, mobile phone, letter, and internet. In terms of media richness, face-to-face was again rated the highest, followed by letter, telephone, internet, and mobile phone. Telephone was rated the highest in accessibility, while both letter and telephone were rated the highest in cost efficiency. Telephone and mobile phone were rated the highest in convenience. However, in terms of overall satisfaction after use, face-to-face was rated the highest, followed by telephone, letter, mobile phone, and internet. The results showed that the traditional medium has not been challenged by traditional medium yet. In predicting the level of satisfaction, social presence and media richness were much more powerful than accessibility and cost efficiency. With only one or two exceptions, telephone was the most widely used interpersonal communication medium, showing discrepancy between media satisfaction and media preference. When speed was the issue, telephone and mobile phone were the choice. For request and consulting, telephone was the most frequently sought medium, followed by face-to-face and mobile phone. Regardless of the relationship between communicators, telephone was by far the most preferred medium. Communicating with strangers and elders on the telephone was completely acceptable. To be short, telephone was preferred to face-to-face in most communication situations. These results imply that the new communication technology can function as an alternative to the traditional media. Such media choice pattern also indicate that the newer generations tend to emphasize efficiency rather than formality or contextual fitness.