The Secret Cause of Flame Wars

hoak · **Joined:** Sun Apr 10, 2005 1:38 am **Posts:** 357

From the Wired News Article bearing the same title by By Stephen Leahy:

Wired News wrote:

The Secret Cause of Flame Wars

By Stephen Leahy
02:00 AM Feb, 13, 2006

"Don't work too hard," wrote a colleague in an e-mail today. Was she sincere or sarcastic? I think I know (sarcastic), but I'm probably wrong.

According to recent research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, I've only a 50-50 chance of ascertaining the tone of any e-mail message. The study also shows that people think they've correctly interpreted the tone of e-mails they receive 90 percent of the time.

"That's how flame wars get started," says psychologist Nicholas Epley of the University of Chicago, who conducted the research with Justin Kruger of New York University. "People in our study were convinced they've accurately understood the tone of an e-mail message when in fact their odds are no better than chance," says Epley.

The researchers took 30 pairs of undergraduate students and gave each one a list of 20 statements about topics like campus food or the weather. Assuming either a serious or sarcastic tone, one member of each pair e-mailed the statements to his or her partner. The partners then guessed the intended tone and indicated how confident they were in their answers.

Those who sent the messages predicted that nearly 80 percent of the time their partners would correctly interpret the tone. In fact the recipients got it right just over 50 percent of the time.

"People often think the tone or emotion in their messages is obvious because they 'hear' the tone they intend in their head as they write," Epley explains.

At the same time, those reading messages unconsciously interpret them based on their current mood, stereotypes and expectations. Despite this, the research subjects thought they accurately interpreted the messages nine out of 10 times.

The reason for this is egocentrism, or the difficulty some people have detaching themselves from their own perspective, says Epley. In other words, people aren't that good at imagining how a message might be understood from another person's perspective.

"E-mail is very easy to misinterpret, which not only triggers flame wars but lots of litigation," says Nancy Flynn, executive director of the e-Policy Institute and author of guidebooks E-Mail Rules and Instant Messaging Rules. Many companies battle workplace lawsuits triggered by employee e-mail, according to Flynn.

"People write absolutely, incredibly stupid things in company e-mails," said Flynn.

Original text here...

XenoKiLLer · **Posted:** Wed Feb 15, 2006 12:43 pm

So you mean to says its normal human instinct to start flamewars? Well, we dont need to know how it starts, we need to know how to avoid it and thats the solution. But, if you do know how it starts, you can simply avoid that and problem solved.

Silentcrisis · **Joined:** Wed Dec 07, 2005 12:48 am **Posts:** 1239

Well, I don't intentionally at times start flame wars.

I mean, I'll start one often on purpose just because I like a real conversation. Not that an argument is a conversation, but it sure beats the hell out of boredom on forums.

~Silentcrisis

it · **Joined:** Tue Jan 03, 2006 3:38 pm **Posts:** 2007

Silentcrisis wrote:

Well, I don't intentionally at times start flame wars.

I mean, I'll start one often on purpose just because I like a real conversation. Not that an argument is a conversation, but it sure beats the hell out of boredom on forums.

~Silentcrisis

HELLZ YEAH!

XenoKiLLer · **Posted:** Thu Feb 16, 2006 1:39 am

your suggesting we host debates on topics instead of you speak and I speak etcetc. You suggest we should have live debates over a chat network like xfire. We should, thatll be something. We could invite the devs if possible and host a live Q & A chat room. lol.

it · **Joined:** Tue Jan 03, 2006 3:38 pm **Posts:** 2007

I sense ventrilo/teamspeak...

hoak · **Joined:** Sun Apr 10, 2005 1:38 am **Posts:** 357

Please Ban Me!

:roll:

Diane · **Posted:** Thu Feb 16, 2006 6:16 am

Ban me!

hoak · **Joined:** Sun Apr 10, 2005 1:38 am **Posts:** 357

XenoKiLLer wrote:

So you mean to says its normal human instinct to start flamewars?

No, I am quoting an article... Read the article, it doesn't say anything about "instinct" -- neither does it "mean" to say anything; it says exactly what it's saying outright as a recitation of facts that and corroberates them with a research study from the University of Chicago...

XenoKiLLer wrote:

Well, we dont need to know how it starts, we need to know how to avoid it and thats the solution.

I see... So, in essence you're saying you don't need to know how something works to fix it? When ever that kind of thinking has been applied historically -- abject human misery has always been the outcome...

XenoKiLLer wrote:

But, if you do know how it starts, you can simply avoid that and problem solved.

Doubtful in this case -- as Diane is the only one that got my follow on pun... That with the fact that clear, organized, literate, and focused discussion aren't really part of any True Combat Forum combined with a general lack of empathy and listening skills rather make misunderstanding a forgone conclusion... But I do wish you the best of luck!

:lol:

XenoKiLLer · **Posted:** Thu Feb 16, 2006 11:47 am

lol. its in how and what we write in these posts that cause misunderstanding. Some people just take things way too hard.

it · **Joined:** Tue Jan 03, 2006 3:38 pm **Posts:** 2007

or so you think...

person-to-person is better than forums IMO, but forums are a bit safer though.

XenoKiLLer · **Posted:** Thu Feb 16, 2006 9:11 pm

if anyone thinks something is offensive you should say it but dont flame th person who you feel offended you.

The Secret Cause of Flame Wars

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