Browse Theses

In computer-mediated communication (CMC), little information outside of content is exchanged. Because nonverbal elements are missing in CMC and the appearance one person's message is indistinguishable from that of another person's, it was hypothesized that the perception of the computer plays an influential role in perception of the computer communication partner. This study investigated whether use of the computer to communicate leads to mechanomorphism, the perception of the computer communication partner as machine-like. Twenty-five computer bulletin board users accessed a computer bulletin board operated by the researcher and completed an individualized computer administered questionnaire. In the questionnaire, respondents used 20 adjective agreement scales to assess (1) the computer, (2) a person from whom they received personal information via the computer, (3) a person from whom they received nonpersonal information via the computer, (4) a person with whom they communicated through media other than the computer, and (5) themselves. In addition, respondents provided information on their computer use, computer skill level, and their previous communication with the communication partners that were assessed. The assessments were compared to determine how use of the computer to communicate with a person affects the perception of that person. The findings indicate that perceptions of computer communication partners were more similar to perceptions of the computer than were perceptions of a person with whom the individual communicated through media other than the computer. In addition, perceptions of computer communication partners from whom the individual received nonpersonal information were more similar to perceptions of the computer than were perceptions of computer communication partners from whom the individual received personal information. These findings suggest that mechanomorphism takes place in computer-mediated communication. The implications of mechanomorphism are discussed and methods for minimizing its negative impact are presented.