Imagined Interactions as a Deterrent to Students' Antisocial Email Requests

Abstract

This study examined the role of imagined interactions (IIs) in student email to their teachers due to the cultural popularity of social media usage. One hundred seventeen students were placed in an imagined interaction condition or a distracter task condition. Using their laptops, students were given a request scenario on which to construct and send an email to an instructor. Four hypotheses were tested. Results indicated that students who had an II prior to sending their email were more likely to use prosocial strategies to make their requests. Students in the II condition were also less likely to use the most direct, antisocial compliance gaining strategies. Additional findings are reported and discussed.