Relationships-Virtual Relationships

Question 1

What is the reduced cues theory?

Answer 1

• Cues such as physically appearance or cue to our emotional state are lacking in virtual relationships
• Can involve aggressive and blunt communication which leads to reluctance in self-disclosure
• You are unlikely to want to initiate a relationship with someone who is so impersonal, or reveal feelings to them

Question 2

Hyper-personal Model Theory

Answer 2

• We can present ‘ideal’ self to partner and be hyper-honest or hyper-dishonest
• Online relationships are more personal because virtual relationships can develop quickly as discourse happens earlier and once established they are more intense and intimate

Question 3

Absence of Gating

Answer 3

• Removes factors that usually act as barrier to interaction (e.g. level of physical attractiveness, physical anomalies, social backgrounds etc.)
• Allows self-disclosure and intimacy to develop and eventually when gate is revealed self-disclosure means it doesn’t matter as much anymore

Question 4

What is a concern with the absence of gating?

Answer 4

People are free to create online identities they could never manage FtF e.g. a man can become a woman