PSYCHOLOGY MASTER'S THESIS ABSTRACT

Christine Pew

Industrial/Organizational
December 1993
 

Media Use Related to Social Influences and Media Cost/Value Assessments

    Use of electronic mail, voice mail, telephone, fax, memos and face-to-face communication by business executives was investigated.  Based on survey responses (N = 121; 70% male), utilization of each medium was related to coworker use, as the measure of social influence, and 10 cost/value dimensions: visual/verbal informativeness, ease of use, ability to influence, referencing capability, coordination effort, speed, usability across distances, spontaneity, facilitation of understanding, and facilitation of relationships.  Regression analysis supported the hypothesized relationship between coworker use and participant use for every medium, from voice mail (44%) to electronic mail (20%).  Cost/value assessments predicted electronic mail use (27%), voice mail (18%), and telephone (16%).  Coworker use and cost/value assessments together accounted for the most variance for every medium, from voice mail (51%) to memo (28%).  On the cost/value scale (-2 to +2), voice mail was rated most favorable (+.75) and memo least favorable (-.34).

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