ABSTRACT
Social media permeates every aspect of our lives. We use e-mail for work, use social media sites to maintain friendships, get our news online, post updates for our families, and engage in online communities based on our interests. Self-determination theory explains how our internal states and situational factors motivate our online communication. It holds that we get our needs for autonomy, competency, and relatedness via our online activities. How we manage our image online is explored using impression management theory. Outside boundary managers, called curators, have an impact on the communication strategies we choose online. Additionally, given the exposure to multiple audiences, we manage our presentation of self online by considering the lowest common denominator to gauge the appropriateness of our messages. Online attacks can range from flaming to cyberbullying. Means of managing dysfunctional communication behaviors online include setting and maintaining clear norms and rules. This chapter addresses a general move toward incivility online and offers suggestions for improving the online communication culture.
