Discuss the differences between synchronous and asynchronous communication, and explain how this affects communication within social media groups.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

- Synchronous communication occurs when the interaction is face-to-face or when the interaction is in real time, and messages are sent and received at once. Even though some online interactions, such as Skype and FaceTime, are close to real time, they may contain some delay.
- Asynchronous communication means that message responses have slight or prolonged time delays and participants must alternate sending and receiving messages. Nonverbal communication, such as facial and body expressions-and, in the case of texting, vocal expression-is limited.
- The number of nonverbal and verbal cues allowed by a medium determines its richness. For example, face-to-face interactions would be the richest because they provide for a wide range of both verbal and nonverbal cues to convey meaning and make interpretation of the received messages easier. This does not mean that online group interactions will necessarily lead to misunderstandings, but it does mean that misunderstandings are more likely to occur during online texting interactions than during teleconferencing, videoconferencing, or face-to-face interactions.
- While asynchronous online interaction can be beneficial, it can also create some distinct challenges, especially when instant messaging is used. One study found that instant messages can provide social support similar to that of face-to-face or phone interactions, but the feeling of disconnect from each other seems more predominant. The disconnected feeling, according to the researchers, isn't so much the lack of nonverbal communication but rather the result of multitasking.