Assessing Individuals' Ability to Project Social Presence: Validating Self-Rated Behaviors That Lead to Social Presence

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session III
  In Interactive Paper Session: Instructional and Developmental Communication Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Social presence is the degree of interpersonal connection established when communicators are using CMC. This study was conducted to provide further validation of the social presence measure. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on the measure to provide construct validity. The end result is a valid and reliable measure that can be used to assess a people's ability to project themselves as real individuals willing and able to make interpersonal connections with other online communicators.

Authors

• Scott Christen, Tennessee Technological University

• Michelle T. Violanti, U of Tennessee