PAPER 3 - RELATIONSHIPS - virtual relationships Flashcards
what are virtual relationships?
relationships conducted through social networking on sites on the internet rather than face to face
what are the 3 forms of virtual relationships?
- relationships that start online via dating sites and develop into face-to-face relationships
- relationships that simultaneously operate online as well as face to face
- relationships that are purely online where individuals never meet face to face
how do virtual relationships differ from face to face relationships?
- self disclosure
- absence of gating
what is self disclosure like in virtual relationships?
- likely to engage in different levels of self disclosure depending on whether they are presenting info privately or publicly
- level of anonymity is also likely to have an impact on type and degree of self disclosure
what is it called when you self disclose more in virtual relationships?
hyperpersonal model
what is it called when you self disclose less in virtual relationships?
reduced cues theory
what is the hyperpersonal model?
- Walther
- suggests VR can be more personal and involved greater SD
- SD occurs earlier in VR so VR can develop more quickly and be more intense and intimate
- can also end faster as level of trust hasn’t had time to be established
what is the reduced cues theory?
- Sproull & Kiesler
- VR may lack many cues present in FtF relationships e.g. physical appearance, tone, body language
- results in deindividuation and disinhibition
- results in blunt communication and reluctant to self-disclose
what evidence is there to support hyperpersonal model?
- Whitty & Joinson - suggests questions asked online tend to be very direct, probing and intimate so lead to deeper self disclosure
- Suler - online disinhibition effect - supports the model, relative anonymity and fewer negative repercussions do greature self disclosure
what evidence is there questioning the hyperpersonal model?
- contrasts reduced cues theory
- problems drawing conclusions from research investigating virtual relationships
what evidence is there to criticise reduced cues theory?
- lacks temporal validity - online communication has evolved to compensate for lack of face-to-face cues e.g. emojis
- Walther & Twidwell suggest cues arent absent online, just different e.g. use of acrostics (LOL) and emojis can be substitutes fro different facial expressions and tone of voice
- time taken to respond can be a cue
what is gating?
barriers or obstacles that get in the way of 2 people getting to know each other face-to-face
e.g. physical appearance, physical distance, personality (shyness), communication difficulties (stutter)
what was McKenna’s (2002) study and what can be concluded from this study?
- experimental study investigating impact of absence of gating on interpersonal attraction
- suggested a chat room environment removes gates of physical appearance and shyness so intimate connections can be established
- predicted couples that met online first would like each other more than couples who first met face-to-face
- 31 male and 31 female uni students randomly paired and asked to get to know each other in 20 min interactions
- then rated how much they liked each other from -7 to +7
- found liking was strongest when couples met online first
- highlights importance of absence of gating in VR
- may lack temporal validity
what are the limitations with research into VR?
- lacks temporal validity - doesnt account for changes in communication
- many studies use students - unrepresentative of population
- heterogenous/varied nature of VR - makes it hard to make comparisons between studies and draw conclusions
what are the positive impacts of absence of gating?
- positive impact on personal attraction
- can be empowering (on & offline)
- particularly beneficial for shy people (Baker & Oswald)
