Social Influence in Computer-Mediated Communication: The Effects of Anonymity on Group Behavior
Top Cited Papers
- 1 October 2001
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- Vol. 27 (10), 1243-1254
- https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672012710001
Abstract
Two studies examined hypotheses derived from a Social Identity model of Deindividuation Effects (SIDE) as applied to social influence in computer-mediated communication (CMC) in groups. This model predicts that anonymity can increase social influence if a common group identity is salient. In a first study, group members were primed with a certain type of social behavior (efficiency vs. prosocial norms). Consistent with the model, anonymous groups displayed prime-consistent behavior in their task solutions, whereas identifiable groups did not. This suggests that the primed norm took root in anonymous groups to a greater extent than in identifiable groups. A second study replicated this effect and showed that nonprimed group members conformed to the behavior of primed members, but only when anonymous, suggesting that the primed norm was socially transmitted within the group. Implications for social influence in small groups are discussed.This publication has 23 references indexed in Scilit:
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