A Study on the Impacts of Verbal Interaction in Proximate GSS Sessions

Although distributed Group Support Systems (GSS) are getting popular, there are still some limitations. One of the limitations is few substitutions for face-to-face (FTF) interaction (whether it is related to meeting content or not), so we may say that FTF interaction is one of the advantages of proximate types of GSS. However, there are few studies that focus only on the role of FTF interaction in proximate GSS sessions, so it is unclear what the real advantages may be. If we understand the role of FTF interaction better, we can understand how proximate GSS is important perhaps understand better the role of face to face interaction when compared to distributed GSS. When data regarding face to face interaction was studies, many experimental studies separated FTF interaction from computer based interaction in GSS sessions. But, if people are gathered at same place under actual meeting conditions, it is assumed that they automatically talk about something. Therefore FTF interaction, especially verbal interaction in proximate GSS sessions, is an important issue to consider in actual GSS conditions. The purpose of this study is to clarify impacts of verbal interaction in actual proximate GSS sessions. Eight proximate GSS sessions were observed and data were gathered using questionnaires from 59 participants. The relationship between meeting satisfaction, group cohesion and verbal interaction was analyzed. Results show that, "oral participation in a discussion" and "informal chat during a session" tends to enhance meeting satisfaction and group cohesion more than "contribution using GSS". Therefore, we may say formal or informal verbal interactions in proximate GSS sessions play an important role and this role is one of the advantages of proximate GSS.