Effects of Anonymity and Group Saliency on Participation and Interaction in a Computer-Mediated Small-Group Discussion

Research on the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in learning environments has demonstrated that the levels of member participation and achievement are consistently high when compared to more traditional learning environments. On closer scrutiny, this medium of exchange seems to have a dramatic impact on the ability of groups to structure interaction across time. This article reports on the structure of individual interaction in a CMC environment in which one condition had a high level of group identification in contrast to a condition that maintained individual anonymity. In addition, the condition of identity was crossed with a redesigned user interface that required participants in the discussion to map their interaction manually. The results of this study indicate that high group saliency inhibits the development of highly structured interpersonal interaction. However, through the use of a graphic-based interface, members are more likely to engage in highly structured interpersonal interaction.