Perceived communication openness and functional communication skills among organizational peers

This study investigated how organizational peer types (information, collegial, special) differ in the act of communication openness and the use of functional communication skills. Participants were 138 members of various organizations who completed the Communication Openness Measure and the Communication Functions Questionnaire regarding either an information, collegial, or special peer. Results indicate that (a) information peers are less open, and engage in a lower usage of functional communication skills, than either coUegial or special peers, and (b) collegial and special peers are not perceived to differ in either the act of communication openness or the use of functional communication skills. Future research should consider exploring the additional differences in communication behaviors that exist among organizational peers.