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More Than The Medium:
The Unique Role of Content in User
Perception of Interactivity
Jim Gleason
Visiting Instructor, Eastern Kentucky University
PhD Candidate in Communication, University of Kentucky
Where shall we begin?
What exactly is Interactivity?
How does it relate to The Book?
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Interactivity
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The term is used casually:
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e-commerce to iPhones
Google to Second Life.
New technologies and continued
convergence makes it hard to define.
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Interactivity & The Book
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Mass Communication medium
Will become computer-mediated

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Access, navigation and storage
New unique opportunities for content
richness
Directly influences quality of communication
outcomes.
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Previous models of interactivity
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Technology-driven models:
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Too great an emphasis on the features and
functions at play.
Rafaeli, 1988; Heeter, 1989; Neumann, 1991;
Steuer, 1995
User-centered models:
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Too focused on user perception exclusively.
Focus on communication process rather than
outcome.
Laurel, 1986; Ha & James, 1998; Massey & Levy,
1999
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Issues with current literature
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Variety of condition states & conflicting
models
Interpersonal view is too narrow
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Face-to-face – the gold standard
No discussion of content’s role
Online publishing / broadcasting and new
digital media
Imprecise use of “interactivity” terminology
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“Interaction”

The communication process
characterized by mutual or reciprocal
action, influence or message exchange.

The act or process of interacting—the
process of communicating itself.
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“Interactive”

Technological channel features or
content elements that facilitate an active
communication transaction.


These elements act upon or with other
features to obtain data or commands
In response they give immediate results or
updated information.
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“Interactivity”

The perception of a positive outcome state
resulting from the integration of individual
receiver characteristics, substantive
(interactive) technological features, and
reactive content during mutual and reciprocal
message exchanges.
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A new model is needed
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Involve multiple dimensions
Embrace the Mass Communication
perspective
Recognize content as a key contributing
dimension
Position Interactivity as an outcome state
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Key points of the RMD Model
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All predictive dimensions mutually
contribute to influence user perception of
interactivity.
As an outcome state, perceived
interactivity depends on their combined
influence.
Content plays a separate and unique role.
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Technological features

Features or functions of the medium
&/or device that are contextually
substantive to the quality of the
communication experience


Yes – Using online forms
No – Changing the screensaver
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Relevant user experiences

Perceived by the receiver to enhance
the communication experience by
creating the opportunity for potential
increases in perceived interactivity.
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Two contributing sub-dimensions

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Context -- the physical and virtual
environment that shapes a user’s readiness
and receptivity to act within the interaction
communication event.
User perception -- His or her own readiness
and receptivity to act within the interaction
communication event.
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Content


Influences user perception in a manner
independent of the particular technology
or medium used to communicate these
messages.
Examples:
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American Idol
Interactive PDF documents
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Content dimension elements
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Control
Directionality
Opportunity
Relevance
Navigation
Purpose
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Why does it matter?
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The Book is both medium and content.
Technology convergence will bring new
opportunities for increased content richness.
Navigation and intertextuality will play
increasingly important roles.
An understanding of the Interactivity
construct is critical to the future of the Book.
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Conclusions
The RMD Model of Interactivity


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new framework through which to understand the
dimensions that mutually influence the conditions
under which interactivity is perceived by the user.
Its comprehensive and inclusive scope offers
broad applicability in multiple forms of computermediated communication – including The Book.
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