L11 - Absence of gating in virtual relationships

Question 1

absence of gating + its consequences

Answer 1

visible features are not shown if people meet online + don’t actually see each other:

• level of physical attractiveness
• tendency to stutter
• social inadequacy/ shyness

= greater chance to build relationships
= where intimate self disclosure can occur

• a person’s true self is more likely to be active in internet relationships than in face-to-face interactions
• due to anonymity of the internet = easier to stretch the truth + perceive themselves in a more socially desirable way

Question 2

gating

Answer 2

barriers or ‘gates’ that normally limit the opportunities for less attractive, shy or less socially skilled to form relationships in face-to-face encounters

Question 3

gating in face-to-face relationships

Answer 3

• personal factors e.g. physical appearance + mannerisms tend to determine whom we approach + develop romantic relationships with
• use these to categorise potential partners before making a decision about whether we would like to have a relationship w/ that person

Question 4

research into absence of gating (Mckenna + Bargh)

Answer 4

• two psychs conducted research w/ 2 conditions
• where first parts either interacted with a partner in person for 20 mins OR via internet chat rooms first before then meeting face to face
• In second condition parts interacted with one partner in person + another via internet chat room
• HOWEVER, didn’t know they were interacting with the same person
• This happened on 10 different occasions + were counterbalanced

Question 5

findings of research into gating (Mckenna + Bargh)

Answer 5

= Partners were clearly liked more when they met via the internet in all situations
= as communication was seen as more intimate + they were allowed to be their ‘true selves’.
= absence of gating means a relationship can develop as self-disclosure becomes more frequent and deeper

• Online relationships might develop more quickly than face to face relationships
• The absence of gating online means that attention can refocus on self-disclosure rather than looks or some other features
• Absence of gating allows freedom for people to create their own online identity and possible change it

Question 6

ads of research into absence of gating

Answer 6

• this study supports the notion that superficial gating features are present in face-to-face interactions
  = e.g.
  physical attractiveness dominating other factors in intimate self-disclosure

This study supports the idea of physical gating features,
e.g. level of physical attractiveness, allowed certain disadvantaged people to bypass the usual obstacles they would face in face-to-face interaction
= This illustrates why a lack of gating features makes virtual relationships desirable to those who find establishing face-to-face relationships difficult
= explains why partners were liked more when they met via internet

Question 7

ad of research on gating (Yurchisin et al)

Answer 7

• Bargh found that intimacy developed more quickly with virtual relationships than face to face relationships
• due to the lack of gating features that typically prevent intimate disclosures in face to face relationships
• This therefore supports the idea that a lack of gating helps virtual relationships to grow more quickly and intimately than face to face ones

Question 8

gender differences - disads of research on gating (Yurchisin et al)

Answer 8

• The theory fails to consider gender differences
• Research has shown that males place more emphasis on physical attractiveness when seeking females than females when seeking males