Relationships- virtual relationships

Question 1

What is different about virtual relationships

Answer 1

Self-disclosure

Question 2

What are the two theories of VR

Answer 2

• Reduced cues theory
• The hyperpersonal model

Question 3

Who developed the reduced cues theory

Answer 3

Sproull and Kielser

Question 4

What does reduced cues theory state

Answer 4

That online r/ships are less effective than FtF ones as they lack many of the cues we normally depend on in FtF interactions.

Question 5

What is a nonverbal cue

Answer 5

Facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, overall physical appearance

Question 6

What can a lack of nonverbal cues lead to

Answer 6

Deindividuation

Question 7

What is deindividuation

Answer 7

• A reduced sense of self-identity

Question 8

According to reduced cues theory, what does deindividuation encourage

Answer 8

Disinhibition

Question 9

What is disinhibition

Answer 9

• Disregard of social conventions

Question 10

Because of disinhibition what are VR likely to involve

Answer 10

• Blunt and aggressive communication.

Question 11

So, why is self disclosure less likey in VRs

Answer 11

• Disinhibition
  -You are unlikely to disclose intimate details to or initiate a relationships with someone who is so impersonal.

Question 12

Who developed the hyper-personal model

Answer 12

Walther

Question 13

What does the HPM argue

Answer 13

• Online r/ships can be more personal and involve greater self-disclosure that FtF ones

Question 14

Who developed the boom and bust phenomenon

Answer 14

Cooper and Sportolari

Question 15

What is the boom and bust phenomenon

Answer 15

CMC relationships develop very quickly
Self-disclosure happens earlier
Once established, are more intense and intimate
Can also end quicker: the high excitement level of the interaction isn’t matched by the level of trust

Question 16

What are the key features of the HPM that impact self-disclosure

Answer 16

Time to Manipulate Disclosure
Confidence Behind a Shield
Greater Anonymity

Question 17

What does ‘time to manipulate disclosure’ refer to

Answer 17

The sender of a message has more time to manipulate their online image than they would in a FtF situation.

Question 18

Who refers to manipulative disclosure as ‘selective self-presentation’

Answer 18

Walther

Question 19

How can ‘selective self-presentation’ help r/ships in terms of self-disclosure

Answer 19

It is much easier to manipulate self-disclosure to promote intimacy, by self-presenting in a positive, idealised way.

Question 20

What is confidence behind a shield

Answer 20

When your behaviour changes as you are behind a shield and feel protected from consequences.

Question 21

How can confidence behind a shield effect disclosure

Answer 21

because there is the shield of them not being able to see you

Question 22

How does greater anonymity effect self-disclosure

Answer 22

Greater anonymity means people are more likely to be truthful about themselves - less risk!

People feel less judged by a virtual partner.

Question 23

Evaluation
- Evidence (Whitty and Johnson)

Answer 23

P- There is research to support the hyperpersonal model of self-disclosure online.

E-For example, Whitty and Johnson (2009) found whilst researching a number of online discussions, that the questions tended to be very direct, probing and sometimes intimate.

E- These kinds of questions would never have been asked in a FtF meeting as it would be seen as ‘going too far’.
FtF discussion tends to be ‘small talk’.
It was also found that people had no issue in answering the personal questions online and were direct and to the point.

L- This suggests that… there is empirical support for the hyperpersonal model that implies VR leads to greater self-disclosure.

Question 24

Evaluation
- Practical applications

Answer 24

P- there are heavy practice applications linked to this theory, which can be used to help certain groups.

E- For example, an environment in which people can control their self-disclosures (such as the internet) can help vulnerable groups such as those with… high social anxiety or conditions that impact social skills such as ASD.

E-Schouten et al. found people high in social anxiety experienced greater online disclosure due to the absence on non-verbal cues that they typically struggle with. Such people were able to express their ‘true selves’ more than in FtF situations. Of the relationships that initially formed online, 70% survived more than 2 years.

L- Therefore, there are benefits that have a tangible effect on our society as a result of our understanding with online self-disclosures.

Question 25

Evaluation
- Cultural differences

Answer 25

P- There may be cultural differences in self disclosure in virtual relationships.

EFor example, Yim and Hara found… cultural differences between American, Japanese and Korean participants in how disclosure increased or decreased trust.
Americans → higher disclosure in VRs = higher levels of trust
Korean → higher disclosure in VRs = lower levels of trust
Japanese → thought disclosure was irrelevant

L- This suggests that the theory of self-disclosure in virtual relationships is not a… general law, but is instead mediated by cultural factors.

Question 26

Evaluation
- Theoretical flaw

Answer 26

P- Another criticism of this area suggests that relationships are multimodal.

E- Walther (2011) argues that relationships are generally conducted online and offline through many different types of media, and this is done interchangeably in modern relationships.

E- I.e., an individual may spend the day with their partner, but then they don’t see each other for a few days and only communicate via social media during that time.
It is very rarely a straightforward matter or ‘either/or’. This is in fact probably the central characteristic of many modern relationships.
L- Hence, examining the differences in self-disclosure in online relationships is theoretically flawed.

Question 27

Evaluation
- Alternative explanations

Answer 27

P- There is research to suggest that self-disclosing to a stranger is not a new way to gain relationships.

E- Rubin found in the 1970s (stranger on a train)… when he got a confederate to disclose personal information to strangers either on a train, at an airport lounge, or at a bus stop, they were more likely to have self-disclosure back from the stranger.

E- When you’re aware that other people do not know your identify, you feel less accountable for your actions and behaviour. So, you may well disclose more about yourself to a stranger than to even your most intimate partner.

L- This suggests that… it may not be being online (or face to face) that influences self-disclosure, just anonymity.

Question 28

What is a gate

Answer 28

Deficiencies that might ‘block off’ some people from progressing further with their date.

Question 29

How is gating different in VR

Answer 29

Gates do not initially exist to the same extent as physical relationships.

Question 30

What does communicating online remove

Answer 30

a number of factors that may act as filters or barriers stopping interactions in FtF encounters. E.g.,
Physical attractiveness and speech defects

Question 31

What did McKenna and Bargh argue

Answer 31

Argue a huge advantage of CMC is the absence of gating.
A relationship can develop to the point where self-disclosure becomes more frequent and deeper.

Question 32

According to McKenna and Bargh what does the absence of gating allow

Answer 32

An online relationship to ‘get off the ground’ in a way that’s less likely to happen in a FtF situation.

Question 33

Evaluation AOG
- Beta bias

Answer 33

P- Research has not established if any age or sex differences exist with regards to the absence of gating factors, something evolutionary theory would predict.

E- This is an issue as… many use the internet, and some theories of relationships imply men and women seek different qualities in partners.

E- Is the internet used better by men seeking younger and attractive females (intrasexual selection), or used better by women seeking indicators of resources and wealth in male partners (intersexual selection)? Can women conclude more about men’s deficiencies online?

L- Hence, without investigating potential differences between the genders (as well as sexual orientations) this area of relationships could be classified as beta biased.

Question 34

Evaluation AOG
- Application

Answer 34

P- The effect of lowered ‘gates’ in virtual relationships suggests that the filter theory does not apply as much in these partnerships.

E- Given that virtual relationships broadens the scope of our potential mates, it also allows us to dismiss factors that could, in real-world relationships have caused us to end the relationships, such as issues with proximity.

E- For instance, the barriers created by long distance relationships is less of an issue with technological advances, such as video calling through FaceTime.

L- Therefore, perhaps virtual relationships are truly changing the way modern relationships are formed and maintained.

Question 35

Evaluation AOG
- Evidence (Mcknenna and Bargh)

Answer 35

P- There is research evidence to support the concept of gates being absent in virtual relationships, e.g.,

E- Bargh et al. found that intimacy developed quicker in virtual relationships compared to physical relationships because of a lack of gating features.

E- Plus, McKenna found that the removal of gating features in virtual relationships allowed disadvantaged people (such as those with limited social skills) to enter relationships.

L- This research suggests that… intimacy develops quicker in virtual relationships because there are less barriers to putting people off.

Question 36

Evaluation AOG
- Incomplete

Answer 36

P- Nonverbal cues (e.g., GATES) are not entirely missing from virtual relationships, they are just different rather than absent.

E- Other cues such as the style and the timing of the message. For example - taking the time to reply to an online message is interpreted as more of an intimate act rather than an immediate response.

E- But not too long, with a short reply, otherwise that might be seen as a snub. Acrostics such as LOL, emoticons and emojis, are used as effective substitutes for facial expressions, tone of voice, portraying dislike and illness to name but a few.

L- These aspects can often replace more traditional gates and can make/break relationships. Hence, research into absence of gating has been too narrow in its focus.