Effects of Absence of Gating on the Nature of Virtual Relationships

Question 1

what are virtual relationships in social media not subject to?

Answer 1

to the usual limiting factors that affect the formation of face-to-face relationships.

Question 2

What happens in face-to-face relationships?

Answer 2

In face-to-face relationships, personal factors (e.g. physical appearance, age, social background) tend to determine whom we develop romantic relationships with (McKenna, 2002).

Question 3

What is there an absence of in virtual relationships?

Answer 3

In virtual relationships there is an absence of these barriers or ‘gates’ that normally limit the opportunities for the less attractive, shy or less socially skilled to form relationships in face-to-face encounters.

Question 4

What does this mean?

Answer 4

means less physically attractive and less socially skilled individuals have a greater chance to build relationships via social media to the point where intimate self-disclosure can occur

Question 5

Furthermore, when is a person’s true self more likely to be active?

Answer 5

In internet relationships than it is in face-to-face interactions

Question 7

What did Zhao et al. (2008) find?

Answer 7

that inline social networks such as Facebook can empower ‘gated’ individuals to present the identifies they hope to establish but are unable to in face-to-face situations