Surinder S. Kahai et. al., in a study on the effects of anonymity and leadership, found that in group work “Evidence for social loafing was observed, i.e., anonymity led to lower participation and cooperation in the group rewards condition relative to the individual rewards condition” (499). The study surveyed thirty nine students to measure the effects of differing leadership styles in electronic meetings, measuring for participation, creativity, and overall satisfaction of the group’s work.

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The two methods of leadership, Transactional and Transformational, were characterized as follows: "The transactional leader’s instructions and comments emphasized what the group was expected to do and the rewards (e.g., feelings of satisfaction, course credit, and possible cash rewards) it would receive on achieving their expected outcomes and expressed satisfaction with the group’s progress. The transformational leader’s instructions and comments emphasized understanding and appreciating different needs and viewpoints within the group, stimulating each other’s efforts to be creative by questioning assumptions, reframing problems, and approaching old situations in new ways. The leader also provided meaning and challenge to participants’ discussion while encouraging them to work together" (508).

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In short, Transactional leaders motivate participation and creative thinking by offering tangible incentives to individual members of the group. Transformative leaders, by contrast, motivate their groups using appeals to abstract, collective gain. Though this study was conducted with a focus on electronic meeting systems, many of which are anonymous by virtue of their modality, the strategies can easily be converted to encourage and facilitate participation in anonymous online discussion.