martin lea

  • Research
    • Adoption Internet Project
    • Collaboration and groupwork
    • Computer-Mediated Communication
    • Computer-Mediated Communication Theory
    • Disaster Management
    • Disaster Resilience
    • Report Psychological and behavioural responses to disasters
    • Email communication
    • Gender and Power
    • Language in communication
    • Social Identity Model of Deindividuation Effects
    • Video communication
  • Publications
  • Training
    • Email Marketing Tips
    • How to Create a Personal Academic Website or Research Blog
    • Statistics Made Easy
      • Path Analysis Made Easy
    • Learning Jazz Saxophone
    • Adoption Social Media Info
  • Services
    • Business Website Reviews
    • Academic Web Design
    • Website Managed Hosting and Site Care
  • Books
  • Join
  • About

Deindividuation and group polarization in computer-mediated communication

Spears, R., Lea, M. & Lee, S. (1990). De-individuation and group polarization in computer-mediated communication. British Journal of Social Psychology, 29, 121-134.

Filed Under: Journal Articles

A computer-mediated communication system (CMCS) was used to explore the effects of de-individuation on group polarization. Reicher (1984) argued that de-individuating members of a group should increase the salience of group identity and hence normative behaviour, while de-individuating subjects treated as individuals should have the reverse effect. We extended this idea to the group-polarization paradigm and in addition independently manipulated group salience and de-individuation, which were confounded factors in Reicher’s study. It was reasoned that the visual anonymity created by isolating discussants in separate rooms would be de-individuating compared to seating them together in the same room. At the same time either subjects’ group or individual identity was made salient. A computer-mediated communication system provided text-based communication for discussants in all four conditions. Assuming that group polarization reflects conformity to a group norm (Turner et al., 1987), we predicted an interaction between the de-individuation and group salience factors such that greatest polarization in the direction of a pre-established group norm would be obtained in the de-individuatedÐgroup condition, and least in the de-individuatedÐindividual condition. This prediction was confirmed. Explanations of the findings in terms of Reicher’s earlier study and in terms of self-attention processes are considered within the general framework of social identity theory. Finally, the relevance of this research to the realm of human communication via computer networks is evaluated.
Download full text

This article has been cited in 487 publications.

If you find this article useful, please share so others can read it.

Share on E-mailShare on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on WhatsApp

Last updated on April 28, 2017 by Dr. Martin Lea


Further Reading

  • SIDE-VIEW: A social identity account of computer-supported collaborative learning
  • Rationalist assumptions in cross-media comparisons of computer-mediated communication
  • Investigating personal constructs of emotions
  • Social presence in distributed group environments: The role of social identity
  • SIDE-VIEW: An interactive web environment to support group collaborative learning
  • SIDE-VIEW: Evaluation of a prototype system to develop team players and improve productivity in Internet collaborative learning groups
  • When are net effects gross products? The power of influence and the influence of power in computer-mediated communication
  • The formation of group norms in computer-mediated communication
  • Computer-mediated communication, deindividuation, and group decision-making
  • Paralanguage and social perception in computer-mediated communication

Dr. Martin Lea

About Dr. Martin Lea

I'm interested in understanding how people communicate, relate and behave on the Internet, social media, and the Web. You can find full-texts of my publications here, including contributions to over 20 books. If you're looking for my website design and hosting services for researchers, authors, educators, and therapists, go here.

Connect with me

Contact me
Join my readers
Google Scholar
ResearchGate
Academia

Web Design Services

Personal Academic Websites
Research Blogs
Author Platforms
Managed Hosting
Site Care Packages
Website reviews & redesign

Search for a topic

Martin Lea Research & Design (MLRD)
PO Box 4336/2085, Manchester M61 0BW UK
Acknowledgements · Copyright · Privacy
Copyright © 2021 Martin Lea · Website design and hosting by Martin Lea Web Design

Download My Disaster Resources

Enter Your email to access and download

  • Full-text articles and Full length reports (PDF)
  • Reference lists and Endnote Bibliographies
  • Survey items and Questionnaires
  • Checklists and Recommendations

Get notified about new resources when I add them

Invalid email address
No spam. Only research. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thank you. I've just sent you an email. Please check your inbox for further instructions.