Expanding the Impression Management Model of Communication Channels: An Information Control Scale

Abstract

According to O’Sullivan's (2000) impression management model of communication channels, individuals will prefer to use mediated channels rather than face‐to‐face conversation in face‐threatening situations. Within his model, this trend is due to the channel features that allow for control over exchanged social information. The present paper extends O’Sullivan's model by explicating information control as a media affordance, arising from channel features and social skills, that enables an individual to regulate and restrict the flow of social information in an interaction, and present a scale to measure it. One dimension of the information control scale, expressive information control, positively predicted channel preference for recalled face‐threatening situations. This effect remained after controlling for social anxiousness and power relations in relationships.