IS

Sussman, Stephanie Watts

Topic Weight Topic Terms
0.417 information proximity message seeking perceived distance communication overload context geographic dispersed higher geographically task contexts
0.297 communication media computer-mediated e-mail richness electronic cmc mail medium message performance convergence used communications messages

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Sproull, Lee 1
Computer-Mediated Communication 1 Dyadic 1 Information Distortion 1 Laboratory Experiment 1

Articles (1)

Straight Talk: Delivering Bad News through Electronic Communication. (Information Systems Research, 1999)
Authors: Abstract:
    Delivering bad news can be an unpleasant task, therefore people often either postpone it or mitigate its effect through positive distortion. However, delivering (and receiving) timely and accurate negative information can be critical for performance improvement and organizational learning. This paper investigates the possibility that computer-mediated communication can increase honesty and accuracy in delivering negative information that has personal consequences for the recipient. In a laboratory experiment, 117 participants delivered positive or negative personally-consequential information to a "student" (confederate) using one of three types of media: computer-mediated communication, telephone, or face-to-face conversation. Participants distorted negative information less, i.e., were more accurate and honest, when they used computer-mediated communication than face-to-face or telephone communication. There was no difference in distortion of positive information across media conditions. Participants also reported higher levels of satisfaction and comfort in the computer-mediated communication situation. The perceived quality of the relationship mediated the impact of medium on satisfaction, but not on distortion.