An investigation of the impact of media capabilities and extraversion on social presence and user satisfaction

• Published in: Behaviour & information technology 2013-10, Vol.32 (10), p.1060-1073
• Main Authors: Tang, Fengchun, Wang, Xuequn, Norman, Carolyn Strand
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Communication; Communities; computer-mediated communication; Customer satisfaction; Dynamic tests; Emotions; Exact sciences and technology; extraversion; Information and communication sciences; Information science. Documentation; Library and information science. General aspects; Media; media capabilities; On-line systems; Online; Sciences and techniques of general use; Social networks; social presence; Tasks; Use and user studies. Information needs; User satisfaction
• ISSN: 0144-929X; 1362-3001
• DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2013.830335

A significant body of research examines media use and user satisfaction, and these studies are mostly focused on the choice of a specific media. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effects of media capabilities and individual characteristics on social presence, and the subsequent impact on user satisfaction. Drawing on Media Synchronicity Theory, we propose a research model that identifies five physical media capabilities as the determinants of social presence (i.e. the degree to which individuals feel connected to others in online communities), and we then assess the effect of social presence on user satisfaction. Our results suggest that (1) certain media capabilities and (2) extraversion have a positive impact on whether individuals feel connected to others in online communities (i.e. computer-mediated communications). In addition, our moderation analysis shows that extraversion affects social presence differently across communication tasks, suggesting that social presence is a result of the dynamic interaction between media capabilities, the individual, and the task. These results should be of interest to organisations that rely upon virtual meetings to accomplish tasks, as well as to media developers who seek media capabilities that promote a feeling of connected communication between individuals in virtual space.