Answering machines take the "answering" out of telephone interactions

Three studies tested the prediction that the use of answering machines can lead to more favorable evaluations of the act of not answering telephone calls. When placed in the role of callee (Study I), participants approved more of not answering a call when an answering machine was used than when an unenhanced telephone was used, regardless of experience with the devices. This finding was replicated under varied privacy conditions (Study 2) and when participants were placed in the role of callers (Study 3). The findings support the idea that technologies can affect behavior governed by social norms.