Communication in Virtual Teams – Summary
Lecture 1
Written in exam block
Lecture 2
Relationships in virtual teams
Two communication functions in virtual teams:
1. Task-related communication = communication about completion of tasks
- E.g., information sharing, coordination, feedback, evaluation
2. Social communication = building relationships
- E.g., team-building, recognition, appreciation
Two virtual team outcomes:
1. First-level effects: performance, efficiency, effectiveness
2. Second-level effects: trust, cohesion, commitment, interpersonal relationships
- Second-level effects affect first-level effects
Affordances of communication technology affect both first and second level effects
Recuded Social Cues
Reduced social cues = (non)-verbal signals expressed through the
face/body/voice/motion
People are not good at understanding the non-verbal communications of others
Common in virtual teams
People behave like mean people online, because there are reduced social cues
Compared to FTF, CMC is characterized by:
Asynchroneity
Reduction in non-verbal cues
Absence of these cues affect social interaction:
Increases anonymity
Less social communication
Reduces awareness of self and others (“other people are not real people”)
Social Presence Theory
Social Presence Theory = how the sense of being with another is influenced by digital
interfaces
Interpersonal interaction includes multiple cues systems (voice, kinesics (non-verbal
interaction) & proxemics (placing oneself in the environment))
- There is always more than one conversation taking place
A lack of bandwidth affects social presence:
- Bandwidth = number of communication cue systems that are transmitted
- Social presence = the degree of being present of the other person in the
interaction & of the interpersonal relationship (the warmth & friendliness of the
interaction)
Text-based communication
- Fit for task-oriented communication
, - Unfit for relational communication (e.g., decision-making, leadership
negotiation)
How the “sense of being with another” is influenced by digital interfaces in CMC
Social presence in virtual environments
Disinhibition = doing things you would normally not do (e.g., say things when you’re
drunk)
Anti-normative behavior (flaming/trolling/bullying)
Resistance to influence
Rationality
Equality
Self-disclosure
Keating et al. (2024): Virtual Negative Work Behaviors
Nitschinsk et al. (2022): Disinhibitive effects of anonymity increase trolling
Theory:
- A reduction in social cues results in anonymity
- Anonymity leads to disinhibition
- Disinhibition amplifies antisocial behavior
Results:
- Three conditions: anonymous (not co-present & invisible), identifiable (co-
present and visible), control
- More trolling in anonymous condition
- Instead of anonymity that does not lead to aggression, anonymity leads to
aggression because they care about another and want to take care of each other
,Media Richness Theory (Daft & Lengel, 1986)
Media Richness Theory = choice/match between task & medium (contingency =
occurence)
Higher equivocality (ambiguity/emotionality) of communication tasks requires richer
media in order to be efficient
Richer media versus poorer media
- Multiplicity of cue system (bandwidth)
- Availability of immediate feedback
- Message personalization
- Language variety (formal versus conversational)
Text-based CMC not efficient for interpersonal, social communication
Choices for communicative systems are not always based on optimal efficiency
E.g., sometimes synchronous communication is simply not available
Hsu et al. (2022): Media Richness in Twitch live streaming
Theory:
- Study applies media richness theory along with uses and gratifications theory to
predict loyalty to live stream services
Results:
- Using 295 surveys collected about perception of services
- Perceived media richness and gratifications (e.g., entertainment/sociability) are
antecedents of loyalty, while immediate feedback is the most prominent facet of
perceived media richness
, Media Synchronicity Theory (extend to Media Richness Theory)
Media Synchronicity Theory = use of media supporting lower synchronicity should result
in better communication performance
Transmission velocity = the speed with which the medium allows information to be
sent and received; immediate feedback
Symbol sets = range of symbols a medium can transmit (e.g., text/images) which can
enhance understanding
Conveyance = process of sharing/processing large amounts of information
Lots of data requires low-synchronicity media (e.g., e-mail) to have time to analyze
Convergence = process of achieving shared understanding/agreement/consensus
Immediate feedback is important and therefore requires high-synchronicity media
(e.g., video conferencing)
Affordances of CMC/social media affect the communication outcomes
CMC affordances: controllability, reduced social cues, anonymity
Social media affordances: visibility, persistence
Lecture 1
Written in exam block
Lecture 2
Relationships in virtual teams
Two communication functions in virtual teams:
1. Task-related communication = communication about completion of tasks
- E.g., information sharing, coordination, feedback, evaluation
2. Social communication = building relationships
- E.g., team-building, recognition, appreciation
Two virtual team outcomes:
1. First-level effects: performance, efficiency, effectiveness
2. Second-level effects: trust, cohesion, commitment, interpersonal relationships
- Second-level effects affect first-level effects
Affordances of communication technology affect both first and second level effects
Recuded Social Cues
Reduced social cues = (non)-verbal signals expressed through the
face/body/voice/motion
People are not good at understanding the non-verbal communications of others
Common in virtual teams
People behave like mean people online, because there are reduced social cues
Compared to FTF, CMC is characterized by:
Asynchroneity
Reduction in non-verbal cues
Absence of these cues affect social interaction:
Increases anonymity
Less social communication
Reduces awareness of self and others (“other people are not real people”)
Social Presence Theory
Social Presence Theory = how the sense of being with another is influenced by digital
interfaces
Interpersonal interaction includes multiple cues systems (voice, kinesics (non-verbal
interaction) & proxemics (placing oneself in the environment))
- There is always more than one conversation taking place
A lack of bandwidth affects social presence:
- Bandwidth = number of communication cue systems that are transmitted
- Social presence = the degree of being present of the other person in the
interaction & of the interpersonal relationship (the warmth & friendliness of the
interaction)
Text-based communication
- Fit for task-oriented communication
, - Unfit for relational communication (e.g., decision-making, leadership
negotiation)
How the “sense of being with another” is influenced by digital interfaces in CMC
Social presence in virtual environments
Disinhibition = doing things you would normally not do (e.g., say things when you’re
drunk)
Anti-normative behavior (flaming/trolling/bullying)
Resistance to influence
Rationality
Equality
Self-disclosure
Keating et al. (2024): Virtual Negative Work Behaviors
Nitschinsk et al. (2022): Disinhibitive effects of anonymity increase trolling
Theory:
- A reduction in social cues results in anonymity
- Anonymity leads to disinhibition
- Disinhibition amplifies antisocial behavior
Results:
- Three conditions: anonymous (not co-present & invisible), identifiable (co-
present and visible), control
- More trolling in anonymous condition
- Instead of anonymity that does not lead to aggression, anonymity leads to
aggression because they care about another and want to take care of each other
,Media Richness Theory (Daft & Lengel, 1986)
Media Richness Theory = choice/match between task & medium (contingency =
occurence)
Higher equivocality (ambiguity/emotionality) of communication tasks requires richer
media in order to be efficient
Richer media versus poorer media
- Multiplicity of cue system (bandwidth)
- Availability of immediate feedback
- Message personalization
- Language variety (formal versus conversational)
Text-based CMC not efficient for interpersonal, social communication
Choices for communicative systems are not always based on optimal efficiency
E.g., sometimes synchronous communication is simply not available
Hsu et al. (2022): Media Richness in Twitch live streaming
Theory:
- Study applies media richness theory along with uses and gratifications theory to
predict loyalty to live stream services
Results:
- Using 295 surveys collected about perception of services
- Perceived media richness and gratifications (e.g., entertainment/sociability) are
antecedents of loyalty, while immediate feedback is the most prominent facet of
perceived media richness
, Media Synchronicity Theory (extend to Media Richness Theory)
Media Synchronicity Theory = use of media supporting lower synchronicity should result
in better communication performance
Transmission velocity = the speed with which the medium allows information to be
sent and received; immediate feedback
Symbol sets = range of symbols a medium can transmit (e.g., text/images) which can
enhance understanding
Conveyance = process of sharing/processing large amounts of information
Lots of data requires low-synchronicity media (e.g., e-mail) to have time to analyze
Convergence = process of achieving shared understanding/agreement/consensus
Immediate feedback is important and therefore requires high-synchronicity media
(e.g., video conferencing)
Affordances of CMC/social media affect the communication outcomes
CMC affordances: controllability, reduced social cues, anonymity
Social media affordances: visibility, persistence
