The Effect of Message Persistence and Disclosure on Liking in Computer-Mediated Communication

• Published in: Media psychology Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 308 - 327
• Main Authors: Walther, Joseph B., Kashian, Nicole, Jang, Jeong-Woo, Shin, Soo Yun, Dai, Yue (Nancy), Koutamanis, Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Routledge 03.04.2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Computer mediated communication; Self image
• ISSN: 1521-3269; 1532-785X
• DOI: 10.1080/15213269.2016.1247718

In computer-mediated communication (CMC) systems, the messages that a user types usually persist on the screen for some time, a feature that distinguishes CMC from face-to-face interaction. Persistence may activate psychological self-perception, leading communicators to infer from their persistent messaging how they feel about the subject more so than if messages did not persist. This study applies persistence and self-perception to the relationships between self-disclosure and liking. It identifies which among several disclosure or liking relationships may be most susceptible to self-perception effects. An experiment found that message persistence interacts with a conversational partner's responses to self-disclosure and intensifies liking toward the partner. Suggestions follow for future research further exploring the mechanisms of persistence, and reconceptualizing self-perception factors in interactive media settings.