Poppy McLeod

Professor, Department of Communication

Professor McLeod is Professor of the Department of Communication at Cornell University. She earned her Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Social Psychology from Harvard University, and her B.S. in Psychology from Syracuse University. Prior to joining the Communication faculty at Cornell, Professor McLeod taught in the Business Schools of Case Western Reserve University, University of Iowa and University of Michigan.

Research Focus

Communication and decision making in task-oriented groups; teamwork in virtual environments; the role of social influence in group communication; intergroup dynamics.

Teaching Focus

Group communication and decision-making; social influence; intergroup communication; research methods

Education

Doctorate, Harvard University - 1985
Master's Degree, Harvard University - 1984
Bachelor of Science, Syracuse University - 1979

Interests

Communication Theories

Computer-Mediated Group Work

Group Communication

Recent Research

Communication and decision making in task-oriented groups; teamwork in virtual environments; the role of social influence in group communication; intergroup dynamics.

Courses Taught

COMM 4990: Independent Research

Contact Information

483 Mann Library Building
Ithaca, NY 14853

(607) 254-8896

plm29 [at] cornell.edu

Additional Links
- Group Research Laboratory

Selected Publications

Journal Publications

McLeod, P. L. (2013). An Experiential Learning Approach to an Undergraduate Course in Group Communication and Decision-Making. Small Group Research. 44:360-380.
McLeod, P. L. (2013). Distributed People and Distributed Information: Vigilant Decision-Making in Virtual Teams. Small Group Research. 44:627-657.
Bazarova, N., Walther, J. B., & McLeod, P. L. (2012). Minority Influence in Virtual Groups: A Comparison of Four Theories of Minority Influence. Communication Research. 39:295-316.
Lu, L., Yuan, Y., & McLeod, P. L. (2012). Twenty-Five Years of Hidden Profile Studies: A Meta-Analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Review. 16:54-75.
Hart, R. K., & McLeod, P. L. (2003). Rethinking Team Building in Geographically Dispersed Teams: One Message at a Time. Organizational Dynamics. 31:352-361.
Durham, C., Poon, J., Locke, E. A., & McLeod, P. L. (2000). Effects of Group Goals and Time Pressure on Group Efficacy, Information-Seeking Strategy, and Performance. Human Performance. 13:115-138.
McLeod, P. L., Baron, R. S., Marti, M., & Yoon, K. (1997). The Eyes Have It: Minority Influence in Face-To-Face and Computer-Mediated Group Discussion. Journal of Applied Psychology. 706-718.

Book Chapters

McLeod, P. L., & Leshed, G. (2011). As Long as They Don't Know Where I Live: Information Disclosure Strategies for Managing Identity in Second Life. p. 191-211 Reinventing Ourselves: Contemporary Concepts of Identity in Virtual Worlds A. Peachy & M. Childs (ed.), Routledge, London, UK.

Presentations and Activities

Group norm violations in an online environmental social network: Effects on impression formation and intergroup judgments. 2018 SPSP Convention. March 2018. Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Atlanta, GA United States.
The "Improv" Lab: more than just science. Institute of Food Technologists Annual Conference. July 2015. Institute of Food Technologists. Chicago, IL.

Poppy in the news

group of students stand in front of poster boards, smiling

News

September 24, 2025

COMM Updates - 9/24/2025

September 24, 2025 Awards Graduate student Rosie Nguyen received the Adam Smith Fellowship from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. This one-year fellowship is aimed at doctoral students from any university and discipline who are...

Researchers use VR headset to understand how people’s nonverbal behavior can provide insight into their states of mind and their interactions with their teammates.

News

May 15, 2025

Research at risk: Keeping Navy divers safe with robot partners

Cornell researchers are working to understand how robots can assist humans in dangerous and physically challenging environments, but the project, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, has been halted by a stop-work order.

Department of Communication
Communication

Poppy McLeod

Contact Information

Additional Links

Selected Publications

Poppy in the news