A couple of weeks ago, I went to the Bursar office with the intention of receiving a refund check.
However, in typical Bursar fashion my request was denied for convoluted reasons.
Now short a thousand dollars, and with the rent due soon, I was forced to not only tell my parents the bad news about the Bursar office but also to ask them for a check for this month’s rent.
At the end of the day, the thought of calling home just as my parents were getting off work to give them bad news, that could reflect poorly on me in their eyes, was not appealing.
Instead, I opted to send them an email explaining the details and a promise to call within the next few days.
Since they usually check their email in the morning, they could at least have a relaxing evening after work and I could avoid any misdirected frustration.
I think my choice of media fits in nicely with the O’Sullivan model.
There is no question that the valence of the episode was negative, leading me to use a more mediated interaction as a buffer against my possibly angry parents.
Also, I considered the locus to be on me, since I am the one attending Cornell and requiring additional money to continue with my education.
Media Richness Theory would have probably predicted that since this wasn’t a completely straightforward message, I should have chosen a richer media, to explain all the details. However, in keeping with O’Sullivan’s Impression Management model, since my situation had a negative emotional charge and seemed focused on me, I was very likely to choose a leaner method of communication.
The second situation that came to mind, which also fits in with O’Sullivan’s Impression Management model, occurred last fall. I had been in a long distance relationship for about two years and my boyfriend and I seemed to be growing apart. I noticed that I was developing a crush on a guy in my hall and despite everyone I talked to who said it was normal, I felt very guilty. I didn’t really plan a specific time to tell him, but it was easier to let it slip out while we were doing homework and chatting on IM. Since the locus of this news was me, and it was certainly negative from my boyfriend’s perspective, I chose to use a mediated technology to hide behind while I confessed my crush. This supports O’Sullivan’s findings. However, my boyfriend was shocked and upset and demanded that we talk on the phone. His reaction seems to indicate that the media of IM was too lean, in his view, to convey such an emotionally charged confession, so we switched to talking on the phone and were able to work things out. Perhaps there is a bit of evidence in this exchange for Media Richness Theory. Because I certainly wasn’t giving a straightforward message, a richer method of communication was necessary.
Links to my comments:
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5400576841210402935&postID=2261809314944506497
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5400576841210402935&postID=6601182277680155332
2 comments:
It's interesting how the fact that you knew your parents would see your email be the next morning influenced your choice somewhat. If there were a bigger emergency, such as if you had needed the money immediately, I'm sure you would have called them instead. And if that had happened, the outcome would have shown less support for O'Sullivan's theory. That would mean that the urgency of the matter at hand can have a big effect on the medium one chooses and can outweigh the locus/valence dynamic.
Amber,
Both your examples relate perfectly to the O'Sullivan model. We all have those moments where we want to take the easy way out and deliver the "bad news" messages through text. In your case, you knew your parents would not be particularly happy to hear your news, so you eliminated the possibility of an immediate overreaction. The way you handled this negative message relates perfectly to the O'Sullivan method. You chose email to communicate your message, eliminating any immediate feedback from your parents.
Your second example with your boyfriend is also a perfect example of the way you chose to communicate a negative message. It is very hard to say something that might hurt someone you care about. You used IM to deliver the initial message to your boyfriend. Once the initial message was brought up, you two carried through the conversation over the phone. The phone is much more personal than IM and allows for immediate feedback.
You related both of your examples perfectly to the O'Sullivan model. It is amazing how we all choose specific means of communication base on our different messages. Good job on your post!
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