lumpers and splitters

• Personality Styles/Communication Styles by Doug W., 3/25/98
  
  

As one of my professors used to say, there are two basic types of psychologists - lumpers and splitters. The lumpers try to find the universal principles that apply to all people. The splitters like to focus on differences between people. My guess is that a balance of both approaches is the best way to go.

And that applies to cyberspace as well. I think there are some universal principles that are valid (like the effect of cyberspace anonymity as a disinhibiting factor). But like Doug says, there also are many individual differences in how people behave in cyberspace.

• lumping the split by Phil Farber, 3/28/98
  • re: lumping the split by John Suler, 3/29/98
    • Research? by Phil F., 3/29/98
    • Psychology of Cyberspace (online book) by John Suler, 3/30/98
      • Online book web site by C.Space, 7/15/98
        • re: web site or book by John Suler, 7/15/98
• Splumpers by C.Space, 7/15/98
  • re: splumpers by John Suler, 7/15/98
    • Do you suppose animals use labels? (And: Memory) by C.Space, 7/18/98
      • re: animals and labels by John Suler, 7/19/98