Comparing Face-to-Face and Remote Interactions: How Communication Modality Influences Teamwork

Technological advancements have transformed interactions, affecting socio-cognitive processes and overall communication experiences. This study investigates the impact of communication modalities - face-to-face (FTF) versus remote work (RW) - on collaborative performance and interpersonal closeness. 48 participants were paired into dyads and engaged in collaborative tasks under both FTF and RW conditions. Participants performed two cooperative tasks, namely, the Lost at Sea/Desert Survival task, to measure cooperation and shared decision-making abilities, and an ecological work problem simulation in which they had to allocate a budget for employee training, to assess practical collaboration and problem-solving skills. Participants also completed standardized questionnaires assessing media richness, interpersonal closeness, and perceived performance. Results indicate that FTF communication is perceived as richer and more socially engaging compared to RW, facilitating greater social connection between participants. However, no significant differences emerged in perceived performance or collaboration scores. These results suggest that FTF interaction is perceived as richer as RW, facilitating stronger interpersonal connections and greater social engagement. Future research could further investigate the role of individual and contextual variables to better understand the conditions that optimize collaboration in FTF and RW, through the use of more complex measures and by involving larger groups.