In response to my post about online forums, a reader writes in about a typical psychological pattern known as "The Classic Discussion Group Behaviour". Common symptoms include:
- participants will immediately divide themselves in opposing sides and
claim victory before the debate started,
- participants with well defined opinions are less involved than those with
an opinion formed on impulse,
- participants find it difficult to concentrate on the proposed topic,
- participants will get emotional and even personal,
- participation gets fragmented and those fragments have no resemblance to
the original conversation.
We should not condemn participants or their behaviour. "The Classic Discussion Group Behaviour" is not a psychological disorder. It is a principal thread in the fabric of the networked culture.
Some good thoughts. Thanks, Francois.
