The Intentional Distortion of Information in Organizational Communication: A Laboratory and Field Investigation.

摘要

This report summarizes results of several laboratory and field studies investigating antecedents to and consequences of the intentional distortion of information by senders in organizational communication networks. Lab studies examined the impact of two interpersonal variables (trust in the receiver, perceived influence of the receiver over the sender) and directionality of information flow (upward, lateral and downward) on sender's propensities to block or suppress information. Field studies were used to establish the external validity of the lab investigations and to relate information distortion by senders to job satisfaction and performance. It was demonstrated that: (1) a bias exists towards screening certain types of information from upward transmission; (2) low trust in the receiver of a message results in significantly more suppression by senders, especially of information which reflects unfavorably on the senders; and (3) a measure of information distortion is significantly and inversely associated with job satisfaction and individual and group performance. Implications of these results for decision making are discussed and a model relating antecedents and consequences to information distortion is presented.