Attitude moderation: A comparison of online chat and face-to-face conversation

• We compared attitude moderation following online and offline conversations.
• Participants were matched to agreeing or disagreeing conversation partners.
• Dyads were compared using the actor–partner interdependence model.
• Face-to-face dyad members grew closer in attitudes following conversation.
• Online dyad members did not alter attitudes following conversation.

Face-to-face conversation and online chat were compared on their tendency to moderate attitudes through exposure to an opposing perspective. As predicted on the basis of the greater self-focus and reduced presence of the other in text-based chat, strangers who chatted online for 20 min about a divisive social issue on which they held opposing attitudes showed less movement toward their partner’s position as a result than did those who spoke face-to-face for the same length of time. The potential limitation of text-based online communication for bridging attitude divides is discussed.