Computer Mediated Communication Conflict

Conflict is a very touchy subject in all groups, whether it be online or face-to-face. Conflict is a very important part of communication and you will most likely face conflict in a small group at one point or another. The question is whether or not you handle the conflict correctly. In a study by Ana Zornoza, Pilar Ripoll, and José M. Peiró, it was found that negative conflict is more prevalent in computer mediated communication, rather than face-to-face. Our speculation as to why that study came out the way it did? Anonymity.

In an article by David Davenport found in Communications of the ACM, it was stated that "if people remain anonymous, by definition, they cannot be identified, making it impossible to hold them accountable." Basically, this means that if people remain unknown online, they will most likely say what they are thinking more often than not. Davenport says "Anonymity seems to offer a cheap and easy way to speak out against authority."

In a face-to-face setting, most people may not speak up when something is upsetting them or when they disagree with an idea. If they do disagree, they will most likely shy away from using negative conflict resolution compared to if they are in an online setting where their identity is unknown. Even if their identity is known, they have the advantage of not confronting that person face-to-face, making negative conflict resolution a much more appealing option.

One way to solve this problem of conflict in an online setting would be to use something called "I-Statements." In an Interpersonal Communication class with Professor Bia Bernum one of our group members had at Mansfield University, they learned that it is better to use the word "I" when dealing with conflict. For example, "YOU need to step up your work" becomes "I feel like you could perform better." This way, the message doesn't seem like a personal attack. Instead it just sounds like constructive criticism.

What other ways do you think you could resolve conflict online - without being hostile?


Davenport, David. (2002). Anonymity on the Internet: Why the Price May Be Too High.Full Text . Communications of the ACM. p33-35.

Ana Zornoza, Pilar Ripoll and José M. Peiró. (2002). Computer-Mediated Communication
Conflict Management in Groups that Work in Two Different Communication Contexts: Face-To-Face and Computer-Mediated Communication. Small Group Research. p481-509.

Professor Bia Bernum, Mansfield University, 2009.