Straight talk: Delivering bad news through electronic communication

Delivering bad news can be an unpleasant task, therefore people often eithe r postpone it or mitigate its effect through positive distortion. However, delivering (and receiving) timely and accurate negative information can be critical for performance improvement and organizational learning. This pape r investigates the possibility that computer-mediated communication can inc rease honesty and accuracy in delivering negative information that has pers onal consequences for the recipient. In a laboratory experiment, 117 partic ipants delivered positive or negative personally-consequential information to a "student" (confederate) using one of three types of media: computer-me diated communication, telephone, or face-to-face conversation. Participants distorted negative information less, i.e., were more accurate and honest, when they used computer-mediated communication than face-to-face or telepho ne communication. There was no difference in distortion of positive informa tion across media conditions. Participants also reported higher levels of s atisfaction and comfort in the computer-mediated communication situation. T he perceived quality of the relationship mediated the impact of medium on s atisfaction, but not on distortion.