NETDYNAM is a list dedicated to an examination of online group dynamics: the purpose will be to examine the process itself of writing through listservers -- perceptions of the other participants, the dynamics of flame wars, power and persuasion, what is effective communication and why.... This will ideally be done in an atmosphere of mutual support and trust but it -- emphatically -- will not be group psychotherapy. The purpose of the list will be the search for dynamic principles of online mailing lists in general. The operation of the list will be as open and non-directive as possible, based on the Tavistock model of group dynamics projects where rules and explicit expectations are initially kept in abeyance so that they may emerge, be examined and formulated, spontaneously. One important advantage of email for this kind of project is that every piece of data (piece of email) can be looked at and compiled -- statistically perhaps -- and participants are encouraged to develop testable hypotheses about online group dynamics. Archives of NETDYNAM mail items are kept in monthly files. You may obtain a list of files in the archives by sending the command INDEX NETDYNAM.

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in the body of the message type: SUB NETDYNAM yourfirstname yourlastname