Abstract
As the use of computer-mediated communications (CMC) in organizations continues to grow, questions arise about how communication behaviors are affected by media type. Several studies have noted that participation is more balanced in CMC than in face-to-face settings. This equalization phenomenon is said to occur due to a reduction in social status cues (e.g. style of dress) in the CMC environment. In the present study, 130 mock employment interviews in three communications media (CMC, telephone, and face-to-face) were compared. Participation levels of speakers were observed, as well as the impressions formed by interviewers of applicants. A significant communications medium effect for the percentage of words used by the interviewer provided support for the equalization phenomenon. No significant results were detected for impression formation in the three media.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.