3: The Efficient Medium

For most interactions, there are several methods of adequate communication. When I am making a purchase for the Cornell University Satellite Team (CUSat), the options are to order: by on-line ordering, by email or by phone. For the many customized orders, that must fulfill the proper regulations, reducing equivocality is crucial. Therefore, the best medium for ordering parts for the satellite is by phone. Over the phone, it is possible to have immediate stock checks, mention regulations and tax exemptions. Over the other media, it is not certain that “notes” and comments left at the bottom of an order will be followed or even noticed.

The choice of medium in this case is not dictated by self-presentation as O’Sullivan’s model showed, but it is relevant to the Media Richness Theory since the ambiguity of the orders asked for a relatively richer medium. The Media Richness Theory doesn’t necessarily call for a very rich medium to resolve equivocality but one that would relatively cause the communication to be the most efficient.

In another aspect of the team, recruiting new members to the team requires a different medium. For this, the most preferred medium is one that is Face-to-face. Even though a phone call or even a questionnaire by email with a resume attached may suffice, an FtF interview would provide a more careful evaluation. A phone call, though it may be a synchronous medium; allows for some degree tensions to dissipate through re-allocation of cognitive resources. From the applicant’s point of view, he or she would feel more inclined to try a mediated medium since the stress may cause a negative valence of the self (the interviewee). The applicant would feel their own self-presentation threatened in such a case. However, from my point of view, the recruiter, expecting the positive valences of the other, such as joy and enthusiasm would assume that the FtF medium would be preferred.

Unlike the first instance, O’Sullivan’s model proved correctly in this case. Depending on the expected valence of the self and other, the preferred medium differed from a mediated one to a FtF one. Since I was looking for the positive valence of the applicant, the less mediated the interaction would be, I would further be able to “praise” the applicant for their achievements. The applicant on the other hand would be anxious due to the uncertainty of their qualifications and their self-presentation would be threatened. In terms of Media Richness Theory, this instance qualifies as well. The equivocal nature of an interview plays a big role in the medium. This is because, if the interview was done over a questionnaire over email, the applicant could indulge in selective self-presentation and some over-attributions may take place on the recruiter’s end.

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