Introduction
The article is known as The Shape of Text to Come: The Texture of Print on Screens and the author is Stephen A. Bernhardt. This assignment will summarize the effects of computers on human interaction with texts and discuss on how electronic texts affect the way people interact with one another individually or in groups.
Discussion
Summary of the article
Bernhard explains that changes in technology for instance computer technology lead to changes in shape of text. Texts transform as the presentation medium change from paper to screen. Majority of individuals have knowledge on how texts appear when written on paper documents. This knowledge influences them to figure out how the said texts will appear through electronic media. The state of rapid revolution has enabled application of texts written on paper to electronic medium.
The key question that arises is identification of a framework to enable understanding of dimensions of variation in texts between paper media and the new electronic medium. It is evident that on-screen text is incapable of standing alone and has to be bound up within the context of a given situation. The situation describes the ongoing events and activities that make the text in question part of the action (Bernhardt, 1993).
How Electronic Texts Affect the Ways People interact with one another, individually or in groups
Electronic texts provide new ways of presenting ideas, information and opinions among individuals. First of all, electronic texts encourage exchange of information either on a small scale or wider scale of an organization. A large number of individuals within an organization can get a single electronic text at the same time. The other effect of electronic texts on people’s interaction with one another is that it has led to reduction in face-face encounters whereby individuals prefer using electronic conversations instead of face-to-face conversations (Cope and Kalantzis, 2001).
The other effect of electronic texts is that they have enabled a widespread and rapid dissemination of information. This means that interaction of people with one another and ways of communication have become much fast. A wide amount of information can be conveyed within a very short time period using electronic texts. Moreover, the use of electronic texts has enable formation of new relations. It is possible to express things that in messages that one may not feel comfortable expressing face to face. Hence, it is possible for people who use electronic text to interact more than talkers and hence for deeper and stronger relationships (Cope, 2001).
It is also evident that use of electronic texts for interaction leads to formation of closely knit groups of individuals who engage in regular contact using electronic texts. Hence, electronic text messages seem to fulfill a phatic or socio-relational function and not practical purposes. The other effect is that of privacy and discretion. The use of electronic texts enhances privacy during interaction with one another. An electronic text can be received at any given time of the day at any place and one can reply discretely and covertly whilst multitasking (Cope, 2001).
Finally the use of electronic texts enhances connection due to the fact that people who interact using electronic texts tend to interact more frequently and hence are more connected. There is a great frequency of interaction using electronic texts and this enhances connection (Cope, 2001). In conclusion, the use of electronic texts is common nowadays and so many people prefer using electronic texts when interacting or communicating.
Reference
Cope, B., & Kalantzis, D. (2001) Print and electronic convergence. Common Ground.
