Direct and indirect effects of communication channel and perceived affordances on perceptions of support: a dyadic mediation analysis

This project investigated a dyadic account of supportive conversations among friends across different communication modalities. An affordance-based framework explored whether and how different communication channels shaped support receivers’ or providers’ perceptions of supportive conversations. Friends (N = 246 dyads) participated in an experiment by engaging in a supportive conversation that occurred either face-to-face, via text messaging, or via video chat. Actor-partner interdependence models extended to mediation documented direct actor and partner effects of perceived affordances on perceptions of support, as well as indirect actor and partner effects of communication channels on perceptions of support quality through perceived affordances. Notably, these effects persisted after controlling for the rated quality of enacted support, documenting that channels and their perceived affordances produce demonstrable effects on perceptions of supportive interactions. This study presents theoretical and pragmatic implications for technologically mediated supportive communication.