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Small Group Research
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Attributions in Virtual Groups

Distances and Behavioral Variations in Computer-Mediated Discussions

Natalya N. Bazarova

Cornell University, nnb8{at}cornell.edu

Joseph B. Walther

Michigan State University

Communication technology facilitates group interaction among members who collaborate from disparate locations, but dispersion among locations may trigger biased attributions for remote members' behaviors. Despite the frequent discussion of attributions in virtual groups, empirical verification of the relationships between distance and attributions has been lacking. This experiment focuses on several specific factors that affect attribution patterns: (a) how geographic collocation and distribution highlight perceived similarity or dissimilarity of partners' situational constraints, and (b) how perceived variations in the quality of partners' performances affect causal judgments about their behaviors. Procedures employed groups using asynchronous computer conferencing in a decision-making task over a 2-week period. Group members were collocated, distributed, or geographically mixed. Dispositional attributions were greater in collocated groups than in distributed groups. Situational attributions differed as a result of an interaction between collocation/distribution and whether there was greater or lesser variation in the behavioral performances of group members.

Key Words: virtual groups • attribution • distances

This version was published on April 1, 2009

Small Group Research, Vol. 40, No. 2, 138-162 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1046496408328490
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