ISSN : 1229-0696
While the rapid development of information technology has led to the increasing use of computer -mediated communication(CMC), few studies have examined emotional aspects of CMC groups. A longitudinal field experiment comprising 301 undergraduate students was conducted to compare the development of positive affect and the role of positive affect in group processes and performance between face-to-face(FTF) and CMC groups. The findings suggest that there were no significant differences in the level and development of positive affect between CMC and FTF groups. However, the relationships between positive affect and group processes appeared to be stronger in FTF groups than in CMC groups. More specifically, in FTF groups, positive affect had a positive relationship to group commitment, cohesion, and organizational citizenship behavior, and a negative relationship to intragroup conflict and group performance. In contrast, positive affect did not play a significant role in CMC groups. In CMC groups, positive affect was negatively associated with intragroup conflict, but had no relationship to other group process variables.
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