The theory of dialectical contradictions (L. A. Baxter & B. M. Montgomery, 1996) is used to examine relationships developed in a Chinese online role-playing game, Legend of Mir. Analysis of discourse on a Web-based Legend-theme bulletin board system and a series of online articles identified oppositional tensions in discussion about relationships. Seven contradictions representing three basic thematic families—integration—separation, expression—nonexpression, and stability—change—were identified. Four contradictions signified internal tensions between relational partners, and the rest addressed a relationship's connection with others. Players coped with these contradictions in various ways, drawing on game infrastructure and elements of offline life.
Baxter, L.A.
(1988). A dialectical perspective on communication strategies in relationship development. In
S. Duck
(Ed.), Handbook of personal relationships: Theory, research and interventions (pp. 257-273).
New York: Wiley
.
2.
Baxter, L.A.
, &
Erbert, L.A.
(1999).
Perceptions of dialectical contradictions in turning points of development in heterosexual romantic relationships
. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 16,
547-569
.
Baxter, L.A.
, &
Simon, E.P.
(1993).
Relationship maintenance strategies and dialectical contradictions in personal relationships
. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 10,
225-242
.
5.
Baym, N.
(2000). Tune in, log on: Soaps, fandom, and online community .
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
.
6.
Canary, D.J.
, &
Zelley, E.D.
(2000). Current research programs on relational maintenance behaviors. In
W. B. Gudykunst
(Ed.), Communication yearbook 23 (pp. 305-339).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
.
7.
Castronova, E.
(2003).
Network technologies, markets, and the growth of synthetic worlds
. In Proceedings of the 2nd Workshop on Network and System Support for Games (pp. 121-134). New York: ACM Press.
8.
Chan, D.K.-S.
, &
Cheng, G.H.-L.
(2004).
A comparison of offline and online friendship qualities at different stages of relationship development
. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 21,
305-320
.
9.
Cheng, L.
,
Farnham, S.
, &
Stone, L.
(2002). Lessons learned: Building and deploying shared virtual environments. In
R. Schroeder
(Ed.), The social life of avatars: Presence and interaction in shared virtual environments (pp. 90-111).
New York: Springer-Verlag
.
10.
Culnan, M.J.
, &
Markus, M.L.
(1987). Information technologies. In
F. M. Jablin
,
L. L. Putnam
,
K. H. Roberts
, &
L. W. Porter
(Eds.), Handbook of organizational communication: An interdisciplinary perspective (pp. 420-443).
Newbury Park, CA: Sage
.
11.
Cupach, W.R.
(2003). Dialectical process in the disengagement of interpersonal relationships. In
K. M. Galvin
&
P. J. Cooper
(Eds.), Making connections: Readings in relational communication (3rd ed., pp. 277-283).
Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury
.
12.
Dindia, K.
, &
Canary, D.J.
(1993).
Definitions and theoretical perspectives on maintaining relationships
. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships , 10,
163-173
.
13.
Griffiths, M.D.
,
Davies, M.N.O.
, &
Chappell, D.
(2003).
Breaking the stereotype: The case of online gaming
. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 6,
81-91
.
14.
Li, K.K.
, &
Zhang, Y.
(2004, March 30). Introduction to popular Chinese online games. Retrieved March 15, 2007, from http://www.chinabyte.com/homepage/219001842711920640/20040330/1782426_2.shtml
15.
Montgomery, B.M.
(1993).
Relationship maintenance versus relationship change: A dialectical dilemma
. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships , 10,
205-223
.
16.
National Survey on Online Games. (2003). Retrieved March 15, 2007, from http://china.17173.com/2003/index5.html
17.
O'Sullivan, P.B.
,
Hunt, S.K.
, &
Lippert, L.R.
(2004).
Mediated immediacy: A language of affiliation in a technological age
. Journal of Language and Social Psychology , 23,
464-490
.
18.
Parks, M.R.
, &
Floyd, K.
(1996).
Making friends in cyberspace
. Journal of Communication, 46,
80-97
.
19.
Parks, M.R.
, &
Roberts, L.D.
(1998). “
Making moosic”: The development of personal relationships online and a comparison to their offline counterparts
. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 15,
517-537
.
20.
Tidwell, L.C.
, &
Walther, J.B.
(2002).
Computer-mediated communication effects on disclosure, impressions, and interpersonal evaluations: Getting to know one another a bit at a time
. Human Communication Research, 28,
317-348
.
21.
Turkle, S.
(1995). Life on the screen.
New York : Simon & Schuster
.
22.
Walther, J.B.
(1996).
CMC: Impersonal, interpersonal, and hyperpersonal interaction
. Communication Research, 23,
3-43
.
23.
Walther, J.B.
,
Loh, T.
, &
Granka, L.
(2005).
Let me count the ways: The interchange of verbal and nonverbal cues in computer-mediated and face-to-face affinity
. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 24,
36-65
.
24.
Watson, N.
(1997). Why we argue about virtual community: A case study of the Phish.Net fan community. In
S. Jones
(Ed.), Virtual culture: Identity & communication in cybersociety (pp. 103-132).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
.
25.
Werner, C.
, &
Baxter, L.A.
(1994). Temporal qualities of relationships: Organismic, transactional and dialectical views. In
M. L. Knapp
&
G. R. Miller
(Eds.), Handbook of interpersonal communication (2nd ed., pp. 323-379).
Newbury Park, CA: Sage
.
