Indirect effects of video chat on outcomes of receiving support: Uniting theorizing about supportive communication and computer-mediated communication

This study integrates theorizing about supportive communication and computer-mediated communication to investigate how features of the interactional context, social presence, and evaluations of supportive messages shape recipients’ emotional improvement. Participants (N = 139) reported to the lab with a friend, where they were randomly assigned to experimental conditions that varied the lighting quality of the physical setting and screen size of the device for a video-mediated supportive conversation, which are relevant and impactful features of video chat interactions. Results were consistent with theorizing: Lighting quality exerted a positive serial indirect effect on receivers’ emotional improvement because of its influence on social presence, which in turn influenced evaluations of support. Findings are discussed as they relate to the role of social presence in explaining how contextual features shape video-mediated supportive conversations.