virtual relationships Flashcards
self disclosure within virtual relationships
Self disclosure tends to occur much faster.
anonymity associated with online relationships ; people tend to hold off disclosing personal information in real life for fear of ridicule or rejection, However there is much less risk of this in virtual relationships, so people can share personal experiences and thoughts without much risk of the intimate information getting to the people they know.
what are reduced cues theory?
reduction in communication cues leads to de-individuating because it diminishes people’s feelings of individual identity and brings on behaviour that people usually restrain themselves from displaying such as aggression.
describe the hyperpersonal model?
Walther
as self disclosure in online relationships happens earlier. relationships quickly become more intense and feel more intimate and meaningful. They can also end more quickly,
what did walter also suggest about virtual relationships?
virtual relationships may feel more intimate because it is easier to manipulate self disclosure online than face to face. Projecting a positive image will then make an online partner want to disclose more personal information increasing the intensity of the relationship.
what is absence of gating ?
factors such as age and ethnicity, limiting our choice of potential partners
In virtual interaction, however, these barriers (‘ gates’ ) are absent; this creates more opportunity for shy and less attractive people to develop romantic relationships.
Even when these factors are discovered later, they rarely decrease an already - developed attraction
evaluation: strength
McKenna and Bargh
McKenna and Bargh who looked at CMC use by lonely and socially anxious people.
found that such people were able to express themselves much more than they would in face to face situations. They also found that of the online relationships formed about 70% of them stayed together for more than 2 years .
evaluation: strength
zhao et al
Zhao et al claims that absence of gating , and more meaningful self disclosure online also has positive effects on people’s offline relationships.
This is because they can create an online identity that is appreciated by others, and it enhances their overall self image and increases the quality of their face to face relationships.
evaluation: weakness
gates may not always be abscent
Piane et al suggested that the degree of self disclosure depends on whether a website user anticipates the information to become available to a wider audience or just to close friends
This goes against the idea that gating is absent in all relationships because there is a possibility that information can become publicly available which may reduce the quantity and quality of self disclosure
