Relationships! (VIRTUAL) Flashcards
(16 cards)
Self disclosure
revealing personal info about yourself, Romantic partners reveal more about their true selves as the relationship develops. These self - disclosures about one’s deepest thoughts and feelings can strengthen a romantic bond when used appropriately.
What are the 2 contrasting theories
The reduced cues theory
The hyper personal model
What is each one? briefly
Reduced cues theory - people self disclose less online.
Hyper personal model - people self disclose too quickly and more online.
SPROULL AND KIESLER
Self disclosure in virtual relationships is lower. They suggested that online relationships might be less open and honest than FACE TO FACE. In real life we rely on SUBTLE NON VERBAL CUES, such a facial expressions or physical appearances and tone of voice.
These cues are absent in virtual communication.
Leads to de-individuation (diminishes people’s feelings of individual identity -> disinhibition (people display behaviour that is usually restrained face to face, such as aggression).
This makes convo more aggressive and blunt -> less self disclosure.
WALTHER: Hyperpersonal model
Self disclosure happens earlier online, relationships become more intense and feel more intimate.
However, they tend to also end more quickly because it is difficult to sustain the sam level of intense self disclosure for an extended time period.
Walther suggested that they might FEEL more intimate because it’s easier to MANIPULATE self disclosure online. - DUE TO ANONYMITY. There is less fear of rejection.
hyperpersonal model - what is selective self presentation?
Pp’s online can ‘edit’ their responses to present themselves in a positive light, which can make people want to disclose ore personal information which increases the intensity and feelings of intimacy.
Why is self disclosure faster online than irl?
Because anonymity is associated with online relationships.
In real life - people tend to be more reluctant to disclose personal information as they don’t want to be RIDICULED or REJECTED, and much less risk of this happening online.
‘stranger on the train’ - Rubin
He suggests we are more likely to share personal info with a stranger because we are likely to never see them again. Like virtual relationships.
Absence of gating in virtual relationships?
Online, these ‘gates’ are absent.
This has a positive effect as it creates more opportunities for shy and less attractive people to develop romantic relationships.
Even if these factors are revealed later, they rarely decrease an already developed attraction, due to the intimacy felt by self disclosure.
A shy person can personify an outgoing or extraverted disposition.
What is gating?
Refers to barriers (gates) that are present in real life, physical attraction, mannerisms, age, ethnicity that can limit our choice of partners.
HOLLENBAUGH AND EVERETT - virtual relationships AIM
Bloggers recruited via advertisement online.
154 bloggers over 18.
A content analysis was conducted to analyse the data from 5 blogs, including images, videos and hyperlinks.
Inter - rater reliability was established by correlating results.
HOLLENBAUGH AND EVERETT - RESULTS
Younger bloggers self disclosed more than older.
Female bloggers self disclosed more personal info.
Found that less anonymity meant they acc self disclosed more. (contradicts research).
However, although anonymity has been removed, individuals can still carefully create and edit the information they present and engage in ‘selective self-presentation’. This supports Walther claim that self-disclosure increases due to selective self-presentation.
Is there research for reduced cues theory?
Theory is wrong for saying that non verbal cues are ENTIRELY missing - jus different.
Walter says we use other cues like style OR timing of messages. Faster - i want u.
The success of online communications are difficult for the reduced theory to explain, as CMC interactions canoe just as personal as those in FTF.
TEMPORAL VALIDITY
Lacks temporal validity.
changes in fast paced society - most research conducted in late 1990’s and early 2000’s, technology is rapidly changing. EG: Gating in virtual relationships in today’s society may not be absent in virtual relationships (video chats)
Therefore search becomes outdated -> reduced the credibility that facial expressions reduce self disclosure.
Gender differences: McKENNA
For example, McKenna et al. (2002) found that women tended to rate their relationships formed online as more intimate and valued self-disclosure, especially in terms of emotion, in comparison to men.
Men, on the other hand, preferred to disclose information about activities rather than intimate information. For example, they tend to disclose interests such as sports. They also tend to rate their online relationships as less close than face-to-face ones.
E: This suggests that research into online relationships may show alpha-bias, as it assumes that males’ and females’ experiences on virtual relationships are different. However, it could be that male and female experiences of virtual relationships are different due to methodological issues in this type of research.
For example, the use of interviews and questionnaires as a research tool may lead to social desirability where male’s responses may not be a true representation of they actually feel and believe to present themselves more socially acceptable.
L: This reduces the validity of the claim that the experience of virtual relationships is for males than for females.
ROSENFELD and THOMAS - influence of online relationships
There was a link between having internet access at home + relationships.
4000 participants studies, 71.8% of those w internet access were married/ romantic partner. 35.9% without.
Therefore virtual environments help maintain romantic relationships.
Strength of research into virtual relationships because it shows that online communication can help find a partner.
