Anonymity in group support systems research: new conceptualization and measure

By reducing inhibition, enhancing participation, and by increasing the number of ideas generated, anonymity is expected to improve communication and decision making and to enhance group performance. However, empirical evidence is inconclusive and provides a rather confusing understanding of the real effects of anonymity in group support systems (GSS). This paper addresses the state of empirical findings by examining the impacts of anonymity on groups through a new conceptualization of anonymity. In particular, this paper draws on the literature in social psychology and argues that anonymity has been too narrowly conceptualized as non-identification of participants, when in fact its most important dimension is subjective and perceptual. Measures of the new concept are presented and preliminary tests are conducted. This paper also argues that a better understanding of the effects of anonymity could be achieved by broadening the scope of research to include other situational factors such as attentional and accountability cues. A contingency approach for studying the effects of anonymity is presented