You Can Run, But You Can't Hide From Group Communication
By Heather Martyn - 11/21/08 Each day group communication occurs nation and worldwide as individuals embark on projects, solve conflicts, or improve relationships with clients in a group setting. This form of communication has the ability to greatly affect the interpersonal relationships among group members, especially as technology has increased and group communication can take a face-to-face or virtual form.
Natalie Bazarova of Cornell University discussed attributions dependent upon geographic distribution of groups, with a specific focus on variations in group member behavior and situational backgrounds. Her research found that the attributions and distribution of group members affect the social relationships among groups.
"When attributions are biased or incorrect, that is when group members start blaming each other," stated Bazarova who worked with Joseph B. Walther of Michigan State University to produce the paper titled "Attributions in Virtual Groups: Distances and Behavioral Variations in Computer-Mediated Discussions." "It is important to understand how attributions may be affected by geographical distribution," she said.
The research, which included field experiments, discovered that when group members worked within the same proximity, and behaved conversely, attributions to varied situational and technological factors decreased. Conversely, Bazarova and Walther found that when dispersed members had differing behavior the attributions to varied factors increased.
Watch the interview with Kathleen M. Propp of Western Michigan University as she discusses her research with Julie A. Apker, also of Western Michigan University, and Wend Z. Ford of Western Carolina University titled "Improving Outcomes of the Patient-Care Team: Investigating the Relationship between Nurse-Team Communication Processes and Team Performance":
Watch the interview with Donald G. Ellis of the University of Hartford as he discusses the paper he and colleague Ifat Maoz of Hebrew University developed titled "Deliberative Intergroup Contact as a Predictor of Integrative Solutions to Ethnopolitical Conflict":