Influence Of Computer-mediated Communication Research Articles

The problem with the internet: An affordance-based approach for psychological research on networked technologies

The internet is often viewed as the source of a myriad of benefits and harms. However, there are problems with using this notion of “the internet” and other high-level concepts to explain the influence of communicating via everyday networked technologies on people and society. Here, we argue that research on social influence in computer-mediated communication (CMC) requires increased precision around how and why specific features of networked technologies interact with and impact psychological processes and outcomes. By reviewing research on the affordances of networked technologies, we demonstrate how the relationship between features of “the internet” and “online behaviour” can be determined by both the affordances of the environment and the psychology of the user and community. To achieve advances in this field, we argue that psychological science must provide nuanced and precise conceptualisations, operationalisations, and measurements of “internet use” and “online behaviour”. We provide a template for how future research can become more systematic by examining how and why variables associated with the individual user, networked technologies, and the online community interact and intersect. If adopted, psychological science will be able to make more meaningful predictions about online and offline outcomes associated with communicating via networked technologies.

A Text-mining Approach to Evaluate the Importance of Information Systems Research Themes

This study combines text-mining techniques and exploratory factor analysis to identify significant research themes in the information systems (IS) field during the last decade. We analyzed 483 papers that have been published in the Management Information Systems Quarterly (MISQ) journal since 2010. We found that the most published themes in the MISQ are: (1) the impact of information systems and digital innovation on organizational performance, (2) the influence of computer-mediated communication and social media within individuals and groups, (3) information systems development and project management, (4) design science, and (5) decision making and information Systems. We also perform econometric analysis to study the effect of these research themes on the number of downloads, citations and reads in Google Scholar (SC), ResearchGate (RG), and the Association for Information Systems (AIS) library. This study shows that “the impact of information systems and digital innovation on organizational performance" and “the influence of computer-mediated communication and social media within individuals and groups” are positively associated with the number of reads, downloads, and citations. However, “information systems development and project management” is negatively associated with the number of reads, downloads, and citations. The methodology used here can be implemented in other areas of research by journal editors and research institutions to identify the most sought-after areas of future research. Also, understanding the most relevant themes of IS research can help universities revise their IS doctorate curriculum to better meet the needs of today's academic workforce.

The Influence of Computer-Mediated Communication on Students’ Writing Ability

The Influence of Computer-Mediated Communication on Students’ Writing Ability

Perceptions of the influence of computer-mediated communication on the health and well-being of early adolescents

ABSTRACTRecent technological advances have provided many youth with daily, almost continuous cell-phone and Internet connectivity through portable devices. Young people’s experiences with computer-mediated communication (CMC) and their views about how this form of communication affects their health have not been fully explored in the scientific literature. A purposeful maximum variation sample of young people (aged 11–15 years) across Ontario was identified, using key informants for recruitment. The young people participated in seven focus groups (involving a total of 40 adolescents), and discussed various aspects of health including the health impacts of CMC. Inductive content analysis of the focus group transcripts revealed two overarching concepts: first, that the relationship between health and the potential impacts of CMC is multidimensional; and secondly, that there exists a duality of both positive and negative potential influences of CMC on health. Within this framework, four themes were identified involving CMC and: (1) physical activity, (2) negative mental and emotional disturbance, (3) mindfulness, and (4) relationships. With this knowledge, targeted strategies for healthy technology use that draw on the perspectives of young people can be developed, and can then be implemented by parents, teachers, and youth themselves.

Characterizing Language Usage in Formal and Informal Webpage Text Corpus

Language is an integral part of any culture. English has changed substantially in the last 1500 years of its use, reflecting patterns of contact with other languages and the changing communication needs of people. The significant changes in structure and use of language can be attributed to the effect of medium of communication. English is also the lingua franca of modern corporate world. With the advent of technologies that provide platforms for creation of virtual communities, the scope for influence of medium on language is substantial. Moreover technologies like World Wide Web and Internet has provided infinite communication avenues to corporate world, individual entrepreneurs and professionals to reach a wider clientele base for business. The ever increasing online user population is creating a vast amount of English text corpus which substantially reflects the patterns of language usage. This paper presents a perspective on the influence of computer-mediated communication on language usage in formal and informal context with special reference to empirical studies conducted using webpage text corpus. The issues considered in the analysis include language usage, special aspects of CMC, user population and the overall influence of communication technology on language and its repercussions in society.

Expertise Recognition and Influence in Intercultural Groups: Differences Between Face-to-Face and Computer-Mediated Communication

Expertise recognition is challenging in teamwork, particularly in intercultural collaboration. This research seeks to investigate how cultural differences in communication styles may affect expertise recognition and influence in face-to-face (FtF) versus text-based computer-mediated communication (CMC). Using experimental intercultural groups, we found that in FtF groups East Asian experts had a lower participation rate, and were perceived as less competent, less confident, and less influential than experts from Western culture. No such differences occurred in CMC. The results support mediated moderation effect of perceived confidence on expert influence such that changes in perceptions of Chinese and American experts' confidence accounted for their different levels of influence in CMC versus FtF. No such effect was found with participation rate.

Social Influence In Computer-Mediated Communication: The Effects On Group Meeting Outcomes

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p style="margin: 0in 36.2pt 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify; mso-pagination: none;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Studies of managers and knowledge workers reveal that they spend a significant amount of their time in meetings, suggesting that meetings are an important part of one's working life. Findings in Group Support Systems research suggest that using computer-mediated communication enhances idea production in group meetings. Nevertheless, little attention has been given to how the communication medium, in electronic brainstorming, influences group meeting performance. Using a laboratory experiment, 259 subjects were randomly assigned to 51 groups. Three different treatment conditions were used: no public screen, public screen presented at the end of the meeting session, and public screen provided throughout. The results show that there is a significant performance difference between groups under the three treatment conditions. The findings of this study offer striking evidence that there are social group processes that may account for these performance differences including the self-evaluation potential, social loafing and performance matching effects. Implications of these findings for both researchers and practitioners are discussed. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span>

Effects of Interpersonal Goals on Inadvertent Intrapersonal Influence in Computer-Mediated Communication

This research explores a sequence of effects pertaining to the influence of relational goals on online information seeking, the use of information and arguments as relational management strategies in computer-mediated chat, and the intrapersonal attitude change resulting from these processes. Affinity versus disaffinity goals affected participants' information seeking for communicatory utility (Atkin, 1972), their conversational behaviors, and their own attitudes toward the topic and partner. People with negative relational goals used the Web to seek information for discussions more than affinity-goal participants. Individuals expressed affinity-disaffinity through arguments, agreements, and disagreements with partners' preferences, which led to changes in their own attitudes. Findings suggest renewed consideration of the interplay between mass media and interpersonal sources accessible on the Internet. Wirkungen von interpersonalen Zielen auf versehentlichen interpersonalen Einfluss bei computervermittelter Kommunikation Joseph B. Walther, Brandon Van Der Heide, Stephanie Tom Tong, Caleb T. Carr, Charles K. Atkin Die Untersuchung befasst sich mit einer Reihe von Effekten zum Einfluss von Beziehungszielen auf die Online-Informationssuche, die Nutzung von Informationen und Argumenten als Beziehungsmanagementstrategien bei computervermittelten Chats und intrapersonaler Einstellungsanderung, die aus diesen Prozessen resultiert. Affinitats- vs. Nichtaffinitatsziele beeinflussten die Suche der Teilnehmer nach Informationen zur Kommunikationsnutzlichkeit (Atkin, 1972), ihr Konversationsverhalten und ihre Einstellungen zum Thema und Partner. Menschen mit negativen Beziehungszielen nutzten das Web haufiger zur Suche nach Informationen fur Diskussionen als Affinitatsziel-Teilnehmer. Personen druckten ihre Affinitat/Nichtaffinitat durch Argumente, Zustimmung und Ablehnung der Partnerpraferenzen aus, welche dazu fuhrten, dass sich die eigenen Einstellungen anderten. Die Ergebnisse deuten auf eine erneuerte Betrachtung des Zusammenspiels aus Massenmedien und interpersonalen Internetquellen hin. 2Schlusselbegriffe: computervermittelte Kommunikation, kommunikative Nutzlichkeit, Beziehungskommunikation, Selbstwahrnehmung, intrapersonaler Einfluss, Informationssuche. Les effets des buts interpersonnels sur l’influence intrapersonnelle non intentionnelle en communication mediee par ordinateur Joseph B. Walther Department of Communication Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media Michigan State University Brandon Van Der Heide School of Communication Ohio State University Stephanie Tom Tong Department of Communication Michigan State University Caleb T. Carr Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media Michigan State University Charles K. Atkin Department of Communication Michigan State University Authors’ note: The authors are grateful to three anonymous reviewers for their helpful suggestions. Resume Cette etude explore une sequence d’effets concernant l’influence des buts relationnels sur la recherche d’informations en ligne, l’utilisation d’informations et d’arguments comme strategies de gestion de la relation dans les conversations electroniques et les changements d’attitudes intrapersonnelles resultant de ces processus. Des buts d’affinite ou de non-affinite ont influence les participants dans leurs recherches d’informations d’utilite communicationnelle (Atkin, 1972), dans leurs comportements conversationnels ainsi que dans leurs propres attitudes a l’egard du sujet et du partenaire de conversation. Les gens visant des buts relationnels negatifs utilisaient le web pour chercher de l’information en prevision des discussions plus que ne le faisaient les participants aux buts positifs. Les personnes ont exprime de l’affinite ou de la non-affinite dans les arguments ainsi que dans les accords et desaccords avec les preferences de leurs partenaires, ce qui les a menes a changer leurs propres attitudes. Les resultats invitent a revoir l’interaction entre les medias de masse et les sources interpersonnelles disponibles sur Internet. Mots cles : communication mediee par ordinateur, utilite communicationnelle, communication relationnelle, perception de soi, influence intrapersonnelle, recherche d’informations Los Efectos de los Objetivos Interpersonales sobre la Influencia Intrapersonal Inadvertida en La Comunicacion Mediada por la Computadora Joseph B. Walther Department of Communication Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media Michigan State University Brandon Van Der Heide School of Communication Ohio State University Stephanie Tom Tong Department of Communication Michigan State University Caleb T. Carr Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media Michigan State University Charles K. Atkin Department of Communication Michigan State University Resumen Esta investigacion explora una secuencia de efectos relacionados con la influencia de los objetivos de relacion en la busqueda de informacion online, el uso de informacion y los argumentos como estrategias de manejo de relaciones en las conversaciones por medio de la computadora, y el cambio de actitud intrapersonal resultante en estos procesos. Los objetivos de afinidad versus los de diferencia afectaron la busqueda de informacion y la utilidad de su comunicacion entre los participantes (Atkin, 1972), sus comportamientos conversacionales, y sus opiniones propias acerca de un tema y de su companero. La gente con objetivos de relacion negativos usaron la Web para buscar informacion sobre las discusiones mas que los participantes con objetivos de afinidad. Los individuos expresaron su afinidad/diferencia a traves de argumentos, acuerdos, y desacuerdos con las preferencias de sus companeros, lo cual llevo a cambios en sus propias actitudes. Los hallazgos sugieren una consideracion renovada de la interseccion entre los medios de comunicacion y las fuentes interpersonales accesibles por el Internet. Palabras claves: Comunicacion mediada por la computadora; utilidad de la comunicacion y comunicacion sobre la relacion; auto-percepcion; influencia intrapersonal; busqueda de informacion

Fluid centrality: a social network analysis of social–technical relations in computer‐mediated communication

In this article, centrality is explored as a measure of computer‐mediated communication (CMC) in networked learning. Centrality measure is quite common in performing social network analysis (SNA) and in analysing social cohesion, strength of ties and influence in CMC, and computer‐supported collaborative learning research. It argues that measuring centrality using SNA is rather misleading, that in fact, it is a relational effect of many things, not just those tied by message threads in online forums. The network data described and analysed were obtained from the students training to be history teachers at the secondary level of schooling in a postgraduate certificate programme in an English university. Blackboard ® (a commercial virtual learning environment) was used in the course. Online postings in 14 separate forums were considered alongside the perceived relational ties of the teacher trainees in six different communication media (i.e. face‐to‐face, discussion board, mobile phone, email, land phone, and online chat). This article elucidates that centrality in networked learning is fluid – actors (i.e. participants in the online forums) and their relational ties cannot be treated as predictable and fixed and central actors cannot be solely inferred from the total number of online postings and their resulting centrality measure in online forums.

Visual spaces, norm governed places: the influence of spatial context online

Current theories of social interaction and normative influence in Computer-Mediated Communication were developed in the era of the internet predominated by text-based interaction. With the growth of visual-spatial worlds like Second Life, these theories need to be re-examined. The evolution of thinking about social norms online has moved from a mechanistic view to a systems view of humans and communication technology intertwined in a complex relationship that includes groups, identity, communication, and norms. Missing from that system is explicit attention to context and the important role of the environment that encases interaction. This article discusses theories of how architecture and embodiment shape offline life and how such theories increasingly apply in online interaction in visual social spaces. We argue that such spaces communicate normative information that influences behavior within a given context in both conscious and unconscious ways. This article then discusses implications of visual-spatial environments on existing theories of interaction online.

Social impact in technologically-mediated communication: An examination of online influence

This study used Social Impact Theory to explore sources and functions of interpersonal influence in Computer-Mediated Communication. Participants were 43 female and 17 male graduate students ranging from 25 to 60 years of age. In each of five distinct graduate classes ( n 1 = 15, n 2 = 11, n 3 = 10, n 4 = 12, n 5 = 12) delivered online at a research university, participants engaged in anonymous and computer-mediated discourse and then nominated peers who were directive and/or influential (positive and negative) during the online interaction. High numbers of peer nominations were expected to characterize participants perceived as emanating social impact. Four interpersonal factors were chosen as strength operants in accordance with Social Impact Theory and were, therefore, expected to predict social impact. Of the four, assertiveness and exaggeration were significant, while emotional intensity and sensitivity were not. Two factors, contribution total and word total, were chosen as immediacy operants in accordance with Social Impact Theory. Both factors were found to be significant predictors of social impact. Implications of these findings relative to online learning and interpersonal influence as it occurs in an online context are discussed.

Workplace interactions and the polymorphic role of e‐mail

PurposeOne of the principal organizational developments in the last decade has been the pervasive influence of computer mediated communication (CMC) tools. The purpose of this paper is to closely interrogate the day‐to‐day role of e‐mail in explicating, influencing and shaping social and information interactions within an organization.Design/methodology/approachA series of in‐depth interviews (n=29) were undertaken to elicit employee opinions on their e‐mail adaptation, experiences and practices.FindingsThe paper provides insights into the polymorphic role of e‐mail, particularly the way in which it is adapted by individuals within the organization. Specifically, it shows how this tool interacts within day‐to‐day work activities and tasks.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper investigates only one CMC tool, e‐mail, although it is envisaged that this initial work will be used to raise a new understanding of the socially skilled adaptation of other CMC tools by employees as well as leaders.Practical implicationsPreviously unreported insights into employee opinion are delineated in order to provide a focus from which organizations can train and develop their employees and leaders to maximise knowledge creation within the organization.Originality/valueThis study assesses CMC from an under‐researched “real‐life” perspective in which everyday interactions are used to understand employee reactions to e‐mail communication and hence foster an atmosphere in which these interactions assist organizational development.

Character-Based Team Identification and Referent Informational Influence in Computer-Mediated Communication

This experiment investigated the effects of arbitrary visual representation on team identification and informational influence in anonymous computer-mediated communication (CMC). In a 2 (participant's gender: male vs. female) × 2 (partner's character: male vs. female) between-subjects experiment (N = 193), participants played a trivia game with an ostensible partner via computer. Results showed that the participants exhibited stronger team affiliation with the partner when their character and the partner's represented the same gender, even though their own character mismatched their physical sex. Furthermore, team identification enhanced perceived competence of the partner and increased the private acceptance of the partner's opinions. Implications for the Social Identity Model of Deindividuation Effects (SIDE) and the referent informational influence theory are discussed.

Effects of the Influence Agent’s Sex and Self-Confidence on Informational Social Influence in Computer-Mediated Communication:

Three experiments examined the effects of the influence agent’s inferred sex and self-proclaimed competence on informational social influence in computermediated communication. In 2 (Participant Sex: Male vs. Female) 2 (Partner’s Character:Male vs. Female) 2 (Partner’s Self-Confidence: High vs. Low) mixed-design experiments, participants played a trivia game with an anonymous partner. When the partner’s confidence was presented in quantitative form, its effect on conformity was more pronounced among men than among women (Experiment 1), whereas verbally expressed confidence induced stronger effects among women than among men (Experiment 2). In both experiments, where participants’ own character mismatched their sex, partner’s character did not affect conformity to partner’s suggestions. By contrast, when participants’ character correctly represented their sex (Experiment 3), partner’s character, albeit arbitrarily assigned and thus not diagnostic of the person’s sex, moderated conformity such that male-charactered partners elicited greater conformity than did female-charactered partners.

Effects of Visual Representation on Social Influence in Computer-Mediated Communication: Experimental Tests of the Social Identity Model of Deindividuation Effects

Effects of Visual Representation on Social Influence in Computer-Mediated Communication: Experimental Tests of the Social Identity Model of Deindividuation Effects

Effects of Visual Representation on Social Influence in Computer-Mediated Communication.

Two experiments investigated if and how visual representation of interactants affects depersonalization and conformity to group norms in anonymous computer-mediated communication (CMC). In Experiment 1, a 2 (intergroup versus interpersonal) × 2 (same character versus different character) between-subjects design experiment (N= 60), each participant made a decision about social dilemmas after seeing two other (ostensible) participants’ unanimous opinions and then exchanged supporting arguments. Consistent with the Social Identity model of Deindividuation Effects (SIDE), when the group level of self-identity was rendered salient in an intergroup encounter, uniform virtual appearance of CMC partners triggered depersonalization and subsequent conformity behavior. By contrast, when the personal dimension of the self was salient, standardized representation tended to reduce conformity. To elucidate the mediation process, Experiment 2 investigated the causal links between depersonalization, group identification, and conformity. The results show that depersonalization accentuated adherence to group norms, both directly and indirectly via group identification.

Effects of gendered character representation on person perception and informational social influence in computer-mediated communication

Two experiments examined (a) if the gender of a randomly assigned character would affect individuals' inferences about an anonymous partner in computer-mediated communication (CMC) and (b) how the gender inference would moderate informational social influence. In Experiment 1, participants played a trivia game on a gender-biased topic (sports vs. fashion) with their ostensible partner via computer, represented by a gender-marked cartoon character. The results showed that both men and women, despite the arbitrary nature of character assignment, categorized the partner according to the character's gender. However, the effects of the gender inference on conformity were moderated by the topic and the participant's gender. First, when the topic matched the participant's gender, there was no character effect. Second, whereas women used “expertise heuristics”, exhibiting greater conformity to the male-charactered than female-charactered partner on a masculine topic, men displayed greater conformity to the male-charactered than female-charactered partner on a feminine topic, suggesting male resistance to female influence. Using a gender-neutral topic, Experiment 2 confirmed the explanations. Although the character triggered gender-stereotypical perception of the partner, when the gender was not diagnostic of expertise, the character's gender did not affect women's conformity behavior while men nonetheless showed greater conformity to the male-charactered partner.

Social Influence in Computer-Mediated Communication: The Effects of Anonymity on Group Behavior

Two studies examined hypotheses derived from a Social Identity model of Deindividuation Effects (SIDE) as applied to social influence in computer-mediated communication (CMC) in groups. This model predicts that anonymity can increase social influence if a common group identity is salient. In a first study, group members were primed with a certain type of social behavior (efficiency vs. prosocial norms). Consistent with the model, anonymous groups displayed prime-consistent behavior in their task solutions, whereas identifiable groups did not. This suggests that the primed norm took root in anonymous groups to a greater extent than in identifiable groups. A second study replicated this effect and showed that nonprimed group members conformed to the behavior of primed members, but only when anonymous, suggesting that the primed norm was socially transmitted within the group. Implications for social influence in small groups are discussed.

The formation of group norms in computer-mediated communication

The formation of group norms in computer-mediated communication (CMC) was examined among students who used e-mail as part of a course. A network analysis of group structures revealed that (a) content and form of communication is normative, group norms defining communication patterns within groups, (b) conformity to group norms increases over time, communication outside the group is governed by different social norms. Results show that norms prescribing a particular use of technology are socially constructed over time at the level of locally defined groups and also show that the influence of these norms is limited to the boundaries of the group. It is concluded that the process of social construction is restrained by social identities that become salient over the course of interaction via CMC. These findings complement experimental evidence that stresses the importance of normative influence in CMC.

The formation of group norms in computer-mediated communication

The formation of group norms in computer-mediated communication (CMC) was examined among students who used e-mail as part of a course. A network analysis of group structures revealed that (a) content and form of communication is normative, group norms defining communication patterns within groups, (b) conformity to group norms increases over time, (c) communication outside the group is governed by different social norms. Results show that norms prescribing a particular use of technology are socially constructed over time at the level of locally defined groups and also show that the influence of these norms is limited to the boundaries of the group. It is concluded that the process of social construction is restrained by social identities that become salient over the course of interaction via CMC. These findings complement experimental evidence that stresses the importance of normative influence in CMC.