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Do you prefer Mobile Instant Messaging or Face-to-face interaction? : Influence of personality and communication situations

Blaauw, T.R. (2018) Do you prefer Mobile Instant Messaging or Face-to-face interaction? : Influence of personality and communication situations.

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Abstract:Personality characteristics are largely neglected in prior research on media preference and comfort. The roles of personality and communication situations in relation to mobile instant messaging are underexplored. This study investigates whether people’s comfort-level and preference for online or face-to-face communication are related to their level of social anxiety and the extent to which they are extraverted or introverted. This influence is mainly present in complex situations where introverts or socially anxious individuals possibly face implications such as having fewer social skills and fearing being judged negatively. A quasi-experimental study (N = 209) on preferences for and comfort with mobile instant messaging or face-to-face interaction in different types of communication situations was conducted. The communication situations used in this study were created based on Media Richness Theory and Politeness Theory and can be distinguished by their level of complexity. The results have shown that social anxiety and extraversion-introversion have a significant effect on communication preference and comfort. However, these personality effects were predominantly found in complex situations. Keywords: Mobile instant messaging; Media Richness; Politeness; Social anxiety; Introversion
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:05 communication studies, 71 sociology, 77 psychology
Programme:Communication Studies MSc (60713)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/76394
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