Status Differentiation and Information Exchange in Face-to-Face and Computer-Mediated Idea Generation

The principal finding was that the proportion of "data/fact" messages in total messages exchanged was significantly larger in the SD groups in both experiments, and SU groups were more likely to exchange positive evaluations and to sustain periods of ideation in silence.

Abstract

message types. The principal finding was that the proportion of data/fact messages in total messages exchanged was significantly larger in the SD groups in both experiments. Coding of videotapes from the face-to-face groups documented a censoring of ideas in SD groups; in contrast to SU groups, these groups failed to enter ideas in the written records that they had discussed orally. SU groups also were more likely to exchange positive evaluations and to sustain periods of ideation in silence. We discuss the implications of the findings for our conceptual framework and for managing process losses in idea