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The researcher had many hypotheses prior to the commencement of this study. It was expected that all participants would answer that they communicate with their friends and family over the computer on a regular basis, and that the use of CMC increases the frequency with which they converse overall. Additionally, it was predicted that the respondents would convey difficulty judging the context of those they speak with, but would indicate improvement in the ease of assessing this since the introduction of emoticons. It was also hypothesized that CMC would cause "real-life" relationships to feel less emotional and that respondents would feel very inhibited in trusting those they met through CMC. All information uncovered in this study was intended to serve as a base upon which other studies may build.

Interviews, continued . . . .

Method

Participants        Participants for this study included ten female college students between the ages of eighteen and twenty. All ten attend Randolph-Macon Woman's College. These participants were recruited solely on the basis of their being friends or hallmates of the researcher. The volunteers received no compensation for their involvement in the study. Materials       The materials used in this study included an interview protocol, which was designed by the researcher prior to the study (see Appendix). Several types of questions were included in this protocol. The three principal categories of questions included broad inquiries about the participants' current habits of Internet usage, questions regarding their use of the Internet as an instrument for the maintenance of a real-life relationship, and an examination of relationships that have originated through CMC. Procedure        Interviews for this study were administered  the most quiet, comfortable atmosphere available at the time. Six out of the ten interviews took place in the participant's dormitory room; the remaining four were conducted in the room of the researcher. Each interview commenced with an explanation of the topic, an assurance of confidentiality, and a reminder to the respondent that they could withdraw from the study at any time, no questions asked. Following these opening statements, the researcher invited each participant to respond to the questions of the protocol (see Appendix for complete interview protocol). If a respondent seemed unsure or misunderstood the question, they were probed and presented with rephrased versions of the question until it was answered fully. Following the questioning, the researcher concluded the interview by asking for any questions and urging the participant to come back to her afterward with any questions, concerns, or to change any inaccurate or incomplete answers. All responses were carefully recorded on paper during and entered into the computer subsequent to the interviews. The data was then compiled and coded to unearth any trends that might exist.