ABSTRACT
Sonja Utz, University of Tübingen
Being permanently online, permanently connected (POPC) has changed how we communicate with our friends and maintain social relationships. This chapter describes how the dominant conversation pattern has shifted from relational to interstitial communication. Occasional long and intimate phone calls have been replaced by frequent short messages that on their own often do not convey much meaning. The chapter explains how this mundane and phatic communication can strengthen relationships but reflects also on the potential downsides of POPC. It presents first empirical data on the effects of POPC on relationships and points out the desiderata in this new field.
