Assignment Task 1: Social Interaction in the Digital Age
To gain an understanding of how the internet has influenced and altered the nature of social interaction.
Select an online community to study, such as a social media platform, online forum, or virtual reality space. Spend the week observing the interactions, behaviors, norms, and values that exist within this online community.
Analyze the unique aspects of social interaction in this online space, how people form and maintain relationships, and how the community norms and values are established and enforced. Include comparisons with offline interactions and discuss the potential societal impacts of these differences.
Be sure to also address the following questions/prompts:
Q1. Where might the concepts of unfocused interaction or focused interaction apply in an online forum? How does it manifest online?
Q2. Provide one example of impression management in an online space.
Q3. How do online forums rearrange space?
Assignment Task 2: Public Perception of Crime and Punishment
Explore societal attitudes and opinions toward crime and punishment.
Conduct an online survey or make a discussion thread in a public forum on a topic related to crime and punishment. This could include opinions on the effectiveness of current laws, attitudes toward certain types of crimes, or views on controversial topics like the death penalty or prison reform.
Analyze the responses you receive and make a report on your findings. Your analysis should discuss patterns, discrepancies, and any surprising findings. Connect these public perceptions to broader social attitudes, norms, and values and discuss their implications.