081016 Social Tagging, Online Communication, and Peircean Semiotics

A Conceptual Framework

To appear in Journal of Information Science. 2008.Post-print full paper:

http://guava.iis.sinica.edu.tw/_media/papers/semiotics/jis0799.pdf

What? What? What?What? What? What?A Conceptual Framework

•• Social Tagging… Social Tagging… sounds familiar.sounds familiar.

•• Online Communication… Online Communication… looks no problem. looks no problem.

•• Peircean Semiotics…?...?...Peircean Semiotics…?...?...??

abst

ract

systematic

dynamic pragmatic

Huang & Chuang, 20082

Put it in two chemical metaphors…Put it in two chemical metaphors…


P i ’ i b i h i l l t ( t )• Peirce’s one sign ～ one basic chemical element (proton).

Representation I t t tRepresentation Interpretant

In Peircean semiotics, the formal condition of a sign must contain three parts, must contain three parts,

One proton is {Representation, Object, Interpretant},

to be consideredObjectcomposed of three

quarks.

to be considered a complete sign.a complete sign.


Put it in two metaphorsPut it in two metaphorsPut it in two metaphors…Put it in two metaphors…


• Peirce’s ten class of signs ～the Periodic Table• Peirce s ten class of signs ～the Periodic Table.

providing a framework

to classify, to systematize andto systematize and to compare all the many different forms of

sign/ information/tag/(chemical) behavior.


usersusers act like lightweight system designerslightweight system designers inusersusers act like lightweight system designers lightweight system designers in the new online communication process


General users are Writing wiki…

General users are blogging…

General users are mashing web mashing web services…

Huang & Chuang, 2008: introduction5

The The changingchanging Of Of

Online Communication ProcessOnline Communication ProcessA Conceptual Framework

Online Communication Process Online Communication Process ……

dimensionsdimensions interpretationsinterpretations

the the difficultydifficulty lies in the lies in the interpretationinterpretation along along technical and social technical and social

dimensionsdimensionsdimensions. dimensions.

tagstags

Huang & Chuang, 2008: research problems6

Lack of Lack of a systematical exploration a systematical exploration of the overall pictureof the overall picture

A Conceptual Frameworkof the overall picture…of the overall picture…

WhoWho are the interpreters?are the interpreters?Why Why are people engaged in social tagging?are people engaged in social tagging?

HumanHumanWhat objects What objects do the tags refer to ?do the tags refer to ?

Who Who are the interpreters?are the interpreters?

How How does social tagging correspond to does social tagging correspond to online communications ?online communications ?

InformationInformation

(tag)(tag) MachineMachine(tag)(tag)

Huang & Chuang, 2008: research problems7

ThTh kk t l th tit l th tiThe The keyskeys to analyze these questions are:to analyze these questions are:The framework The framework

A Conceptual Frameworkof Peirce’s of Peirce’s semiotics:semiotics:

(1)(1) Triadic sign Triadic sign theory.theory.

(2)(2) Ten classes Ten classes of Signs.of Signs.

Huang & Chuang, 2008: section 3,4,58


machine machine ii

machine machine ii

Our three conclusions Our three conclusions are:are: meaningmeaningmeaningmeaningare:are:

humanhumanhumanhuman

T iT iT iT i

humanhumanmeaningmeaninghumanhuman

meaningmeaning

Tagging Tagging as as

Tagging Tagging as as (1) we regard tagging as sign that (1) we regard tagging as sign that

SignSignSignSign( ) g gg g g( ) g gg g gconveys conveys human and machine human and machine meanings in the online meanings in the online communication processcommunication process


communication process.communication process.

((22)) wewe identifyidentify tenten classesclasses ofof socialsocial taggingtagging signssigns toto((22)) wewe identifyidentify tenten classesclasses ofof socialsocial taggingtagging signssigns totoofferoffer aa semioticsemiotic solutionsolution toto thethe vaguenessvagueness andandambiguityambiguity ofof taggingtagging inin thethe onlineonline communicationcommunication


g yg y gg ggg gprocessprocess..


(3.1)(3.1) a systematic approacha systematic approach is offered here to explore theis offered here to explore the(3.1)(3.1) a systematic approach a systematic approach is offered here to explore the is offered here to explore the interrelationships between social tagging, online interrelationships between social tagging, online communication and the concepts of Peircean semiotics;communication and the concepts of Peircean semiotics;



(3.2)(3.2) somesome practical implicationspractical implications for userfor user--communitycommunity(3.2) (3.2) some some practical implications practical implications for userfor user community community designs and the use of tagging technologies are designs and the use of tagging technologies are discussed.discussed.


ForFor pragmaticpragmatic designsdesigns, the properties of the 6 Open signs directthe use for community of interest design; the 3 Informationalthe use for community of interest design; the 3 Informationalsigns fall into personal preference; and the 1 Formal sign iscompleted as a powerful constraints on the relative properties ofother signsother signs.

ForFor semanticsemantic implicationsimplications, the properties of the 3 Iconic signsdemonstrate the possibility or appearance with similar properties ofth f d bj t th 4 I d i l i d t dthe referred objects; the 4 Indexical signs are grouped to drawusers’ attentions to the existence or existential relation of objects;and the 3 Symbolic signs is completed as a powerful constraints

th l ti ti f th i

The main value of the ten class of signs is the ability to predict thesign characters of an element based on its location on the sign

on the relative properties of other signs.

sign characters of an element based on its location on the signclass; as well as the relationship between each signs such as theReplicaReplica relationsrelations ofof SignsSigns (2,5); SignsSigns (3,6,8); and SignsSigns(4,7,9,10).


(4,7,9,10).

Open Questions (1)…A Conceptual Framework

(3)Tag ListWeb

wants to design

designer (3)Tag ListWeb

“Tag list” as a Ten class of

designer

broad Sign.Tag List

re-classify

Huang & Chuang, 200813Can this dynamic application be done?Can this dynamic application be done?


KeywordWeb

search terms re-cast

Keyword Archives

Web

personal

user

review

preference

auto-recommend ti t

pre-classify

dation tags

Huang & Chuang, 200814Will this application be seen ?Will this application be seen ?

1 introduction1 introduction1. introduction1. introduction

A Conceptual Framework2. problems2. problems

triadic signtriadic sign

3. triadic sign3. triadic signinterpretant of

i l t iinterpretant of

i l t icontentcontent

social taggingsocial tagging4. three universal

categories

4. three universal

categories

5. ten classes of signs

5. ten classes of signs

6. discussions & implications6. discussions & implications& implications& implications

7 conclusion7 conclusion7. conclusion7. conclusion


no essential direct relationship no essential direct relationship between R &O


A di t P i iAccording to Peirce, a sign “ is something, something, AA, , which brings something B itsbrings something, B, its interpretantinterpretant sign determined or created by it, into the same sort of correspondence with something C its objectobject assomething, C, its objectobject,, as that in which itself stands to C.”

Huang & Chuang, 2008: triadic sign17


Huang & Chuang, 2008: interpretant of social tagging18


OpenOpen

informationalinformational

FormalFormal

Iconic

• Mark• Token

TIconic

• Mark• Token Iconic

• Mark• Token

• Type

Indexical• Token• TypeOpen

• Type

Indexical• Token

TInformational

• Type

Indexical• Token

TFormalType

Symbolic • Type

• Type

Symbolic • Type

Informational • Type

Symbolic • Type

Formal

Huang & Chuang, 2008: ten classes of signs19

Sy bo c Type Sy bo c Type

Our Research Concept: A Conceptual Framework


The sign deals with the possibility of first observation in order to determine the possible


observation in order to determine the possible evidence for future acts.

• it is a feeling of something.

In social tagging, the terms of “tagging”, “social tagging”, “ folksonomy” or “tagsonomy” initially any possible feeling of social tagging concepts. g gg g p

a feeling no determined Representation of “How” tag should represent it.

“What” the icon sign refers to some characters or likeness of tagging Objects whether any such Object exist or not.

The sign is interpreted by user community openly for their community of interest according to their past experience. This I t t ti i it lf f i f i l t i b “Wh dInterpretation is itself of a sign for social tagging by “Who and Why” questions.

Huang & Chuang, 2008: ten classes of tagging signs21

The second sign is the actual existence of the Sign (1); an individual or particular copy of a tag (Type); in theory there can be lots of tokens of a


(Type); in theory, there can be lots of tokens of a single type (tag).

Tag clouds resemble their likeness of charactersTag clouds resemble their likeness of charactersas tagging, but represent in the actual form of the cloud diagram; the visualization of the most used tags of a folksonomy.tags of a folksonomy.

Sinclair and Cardew-Hall (2008): a “visual summary of contents” / it serves as a broad and ygeneral categorization of information.

Hearst and Rosner (2008): “social signallers”

Sign (2) is a sign of an individual diagram, which allows several copies of a single tag; however, it only determines the idea or feeling of an object, irrespective of whether any such object exists. From this perspective, tag clouds are not meant to be, and

t t d f th i i f tiare not noted for, their information accuracy.22

Huang & Chuang, 2008: ten classes of tagging signs

In theory this sign is any object of directA Conceptual Framework

In theory, this sign is any object of direct connection or existential relation, as it directs attention to an Object by which its existence is causedcaused.

The sign deals with possible evidence as some relations have been connectedrelations have been connected.

It is the sign to indicate some past state of affairs. It forces the attention to the particular object intendedIt forces the attention to the particular object intended without describing it.

Tag clustering, in social tagging cases, indicates g g, gg g ,some past state of tag connection. Its Object deals with existential relation for the Index while Representing forms are still remain in the level of Token. Tag Clusters are the actual existence of some single tag copies according to a certain degree of similarity like related tags or patterns.

23Huang & Chuang, 2008: ten classes of tagging signs

Tag Clustering of “web” in flickr


BeforeClustering

Clustering with

related wordswords


any object of direct experience, connection or existential relation.

A Conceptual FrameworkPersonomy: the collection of personal tags across different web systems.

Tag RSS: The tag acts as an indexical token that finds web resources related to the token in various web services.web services.


deals with the operation of Representation to create or discover a possible rule.

The mode of being of Sign (5) is that of i i l R li h f hi h ill b

A Conceptual Frameworkgoverning single Replicas, each of which will be a Sign (2) of a peculiar kind.


any general law or type that requires each instance of it to be strongly influenced by its indexical Objectindexical Object.

A Conceptual FrameworkEach Replica of Sign (6) will be a Sign (3) of a

peculiar kind.

t ith ifi f th t t i thtags with specific forms that are not in the vocabulary, e.g., “DSC-R1 for he Sony DSC-R1 camera fans; “ACIA” are used differently in different comm nitiesdifferent communities.

(1) community knowledge can be explored by using specific tagsusing specific tags.(2) non-vocabulary tags prevent public understanding and provide identification for specific eventsspecific events(3) a tool to express or promote a community’s campaigns or interests.


any general type or law. Sign(7) requires each case of the sign to be really affected by its Object and provides definite information about

A Conceptual Frameworkthe Object.

Each Replica of Sign (7) will be a Sign (4) of a peculiar kind

personal tags as indexical objects indexical objects in one s stemone system.

“semantic web” as a tag used by different g y ff

users for grouping their own objects


connected with its Object by any connectionconnected with its Object by any connection of general ideas; The Replica of Sign (8) is Sign (3) of a peculiar kind.

A Conceptual Frameworkcommon words are usually embedded with conventional rules for linguistic meanings, but without any specific explanation in practice.y p p p

Noll & Meinel (2007): popular tags whichpopular tags, which account for half the tags in use, are general rather thangeneral rather than specific.


its intended Interpretant represents as anits intended Interpretant represents as an existential relation that must be connected with the indicated Object; the Replica of Sign (9) is a Sign (4) of a peculiar kind


Sign (4) of a peculiar kind.

tagging is mainly for personal purposes (Golder & Huberman, 2006; Zollers, 2007), ; , )

tags’ linguistic forms of non-nominal representations (e.g., verbs and adjectives) are p ( g j )regarded as supplements of categories that take their meanings from the categories’ descriptions(Veres, 2006)

Personal tagging as personal statement by

Th K N t t


The KronoNaut at Flickr

th t l i t i t d b t ithe most complex sign restricted by certain rules, which is mainly restricted by designers for logical reasoning process.


Three levels of Interpreters with their interpretation tags are provided by del icio us system designers as a recommendation mechanism for


by del.icio.us system designers as a recommendation mechanism for users to tag their bookmarks.


the emergence of online communication systems can be understood as a sign systems can be understood as a sign within

“a communication of programs between computers from man to computers from computers, from man to computers, from man to man, as well as from man to himself” …..by Heinz Zemanek (1965)


himself …..by Heinz Zemanek (1965)

081016 Social Tagging, Online Communication, and Peircean Semiotics

Technology

Transcript of 081016 Social Tagging, Online Communication, and Peircean Semiotics