THE EFFECTS OF COMMUNICATION MOTIVES, INTERACTION INVOLVEMENT, AND LONELINESS ON SATISFACTION - A MODEL OF SMALL-GROUPS

A small group model was tested that traced the path by which communica tion motives influenced interaction involvement and loneliness and the ways that these factors, in turn, influenced group satisfaction Resul ts indicated that pleasure was a reason for communicating responsively , whereas escape, control, and inclusion were not reasons. Escape was not a motive reported by those who were lonely. With regard to group s atisfaction, it was found that loneliness was a mediating factor in th at members who interacted responsively were not lonely, and those who were not lonely reported satisfaction with the group. Finally, there w as a direct link between the need for affection and satisfaction. Impl ications of the model's findings support the need for communication sk ills training and understanding members' motives for interacting in on going task groups.