The Effects of Computer-Mediated Communication on Participation in Group Discussion

Kim, Hyun-ju & Lee, Keun-myoung

hjkim@sunykorea.ac.kr

김현주

Abstract

This study investigated how computer-mediated communication with non-hierarchical language use such as using no titles or honorific forms affects speakers' participation in group discussion in a hierarchical organization setting. Assuming that the complexity of the Korean honorific system could be a factor of Korean students' or employees' passive participation in discussion in class or workplace, we examined whether the use of equal-level speech styles would facilitate the active discussion environment. Furthermore, an online chat platform was served as an online discussion space, which enforced equal-level talk. The results showed that the participation rates of speakers of low position, who maintained a low participation rate during offline meetings, gradually increased during online discussion, while participants of high position, who were dominant talkers during offline discussion, appeared less active in online meetings. This revealed a statistically significant interaction between communication mode(online vs. offline) and participants' rank. Although the language effect was not significant statistically, we found a tendency that the participation rate was higher at the equal-level chat room than at the control room. These findings suggest that speakers' act should be influenced by communication modes: speakers of low position seem to participate more freely at an online mode than at an offline mode, although the effect of the Korean honorific system on speakers' participation in discussion was not conclusive.

온라인 수평적 대화 형태가 대화 참여에 미치는 영향

김현주･이근명

한국뉴욕주립대학교･씨윗코리아

초록

Vol. 40 No. 4 (2022.12)

Journal Abbreviation j. Korea Saf. Manag. Sci.
Frequency Published four times annually in March, June, September, and December
Doi Prefix 10.14353/sjk.
Year of Launching 1993
Publisher The Sociolinguistic Society of Korea

Indexed/Tracked/Covered By