Relationships - Virtual Relationships Flashcards
(8 cards)
Self-Disclosure in VR
More intimate & direct due to anonymity & lack of face to face pressure
Walther - Hyper-personal Model
People disclose more personal info online than in person
Hyper-honest or hyper-dishonest - develop very quickly (lead to boom and bust)
Anonymity - may disclose more to a stranger
Selective self presentation - able to manipulate image of self to promote intimacy
Sproull & Kiesler - Reduced Cues Theory
CMC (computer-mediated communication) relationships less effective - lack cues usually receive in person
De-individualisation - reduces individuals sense of identity - disinhibition to others
- Blunt or potentially aggressive convos
- Unlikely to want a relationship with someone who is impersonal
Yum & Hara - Cultural differences
American ppts reported greater disclosure in VR associated with more trust
Korean ppts reported it led to less trust
Japanese ppts - SD was not a factor
- Cultural bias
- Limits generalisability
Evaluation of SD online
- Explains online dating & catfishing
- Lacks ecological validity - not all relationships lead to deep relationships
Absence of Gating
Gate - feature or obstacle that could interfere with the development of a relationship (physical appearance, social status)
- Less important in online relationships - allow deeper connections
- Enables less attractive people or socially inept to be able to express their true self
- Build closer, more meaningful relationships than they would be able to in face to face
McKenna & Bargh - Support absence of gating
Looked at CMC use by lonely & anxious people
Able to express their ‘true selves’ more than F2F
Online relationships more likely to last than F2F (70%)
Evaluation of Virtual Relationships
- Lack temporal validity - can facetime, use emojis for cues/’live’ interaction
- Cultural differences
- Mediating effect on personality (introverts/extroverts)
- Social benefits - effects on loneliness - easier to seek out company than in real life
