"L’enfer c’est les autres". Surcharge informationnelle, choix du média de communication et introversion/extraversion

To address the information overload issue, we introduce the concept of intrinsic preference for a media of communication (IPMC), in order to better explain media choice at an individual level. We test a model where IPMC is a mediator between introversion/extraversion and the use of professional e-mail as well as the use of face-to-face meetings by a manager. The model explains how introversion is negatively related to the overall use of professional e-mail – an extravert will communicate more than an introvert. However, our suppression model, based on thestatistical approach by Shrout et al. also shows the media-tor/suppressor role of IPMC between introver-sion/extraversion and e-mail use, suggesting a broader understanding of e-mail use and therefore, offering an additional way to reduce information overload, (Shrout & Bolger, 2002).