Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-9-2017
Publication Source
Communication Research Reports
Volume Number
35
Issue Number
2
First Page
112
Last Page
120
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
ISSN
0882-4096
Abstract
Is the reluctance to share bad news (i.e., the MUM effect) motivated more by a public display or private concern, and does it benefit mainly the messenger or the recipient? An experiment (N = 309) that crossed good/bad news with three communication channels (face to face, text messaging, email) revealed that messenger reluctance was greatest under conditions of bad news and did not vary based on channel through which the recipient contacted the messenger. In contrast with earlier work, this MUM effect was more consistent with a private fear of distressing the recipient. Theoretical implications and limitations are discussed.
Keywords
Bad News, Interpersonal Communication, Mum Effect, Negative Feedback
Recommended Citation
Repository citation: Dibble, Jayson L., "It's More Than Self-Presentation: MUM Effects Can Reflect Private Discomfort and Concern for the Recipient" (2017). Faculty Publications. Paper 1452.
https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/faculty_publications/1452
Published in: Communication Research Reports, Volume 35, Issue 2, November 9, 2017, pages 112-120. Copyright © 2017 Taylor & Francis.
Included in
Cognition and Perception Commons, Cognitive Psychology Commons, Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons, Quantitative Psychology Commons, Social Psychology Commons
Comments
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Communication Research Reports on 11/9/2017, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/08824096.2017.1398078