The Impact of Reticence on Email Style

Authors:

• James Keaten (Univ of Northern Colorado)
• Lynne Kelly (University of Hartford)
• Kelly C. Scott (Univ of Northern Colorado)
• Carrie West (Univ of Northern Colorado)
• David L. Palmer (University of Northern Colorado)

Abstract:

This investigation examines the impact of reticence on linguistic and stylistic attributes of email messages. Participants (N = 338) in an undergraduate public speaking course were asked to respond to a reticence scale (Keaten, Kelly, & Finch, 1997), report time spent on five types of CMC, and rate their use of twenty-eight email behaviors. Results suggested that the 28 email behaviors were explainable by eight dimensions of email style (i.e., formality, emotional expressiveness, conscientiousness, formatting, humor, politeness, impulsiveness, & succinctness). Results also indicated that individuals who report more reticence are also more conscientious, less impulsive, and less formal in their use of email.