RELATIONSHIPS Virtual Relationships In Social Media Flashcards
What is absence of gating?
Key difference between online and face to face interactions
In real life - attraction to others is influenced by appearance confidence mannerisms etc however in virtual interactions these barriers are absent - creates more opportunities for shy and less attractive people
What is the hyper-personal model?
Prominent difference between face to face and virtual relationships is that self disclosure tends to occur faster - reason for this - anonymity associated with online relationships - hold of disclosing personal info in real life in fear of rejection however much less risk on virtual relationships
VR - feel more intimate because easier to manipulate self disclosure online than face to face - people have more time to edit their response in more positive light (selective self presentation)
What is reduced cues theory
Psychologists suggest online relationships might be less open and honest than face to face one’s because in real life focusing on subtle cues such as facial expressions and time of voice are absent in virtual communications
Reduction in communication cues leads to de individuation because diminishes peoples feelings of individual identity and brings on behaviours people restrain themselves from showing such as aggression
A03
- gender differences in relation to the hyper personal model
McKenna et al - women - relationship formed online = more intimate + valued self disclosure more highly than men, women = online relationships involve greater + more meaningful self disclosure but men = online relationships = less close + less disclosure than face to face
Hyper personal model = beta bias as assumes males + females experience of virtual relationships are same when they may be different
Research into virtual relationships may not reflect experience of men + women and more research should be done into each gender
A03
- research into virtual relationships is outdated
Most research conducted in 1900s and early 2000s, technology changing rapidly, so is nature of online relationships therefore psychological research in this area risk becoming outdated by the time it’s published eg emojis which contradicts reduced cues theory
Shows that majority of research in VR lacks temporal validity
Highlights need for more contemporary research into online relationships that considers ways that online relationships work in todays society
A03
+ research support for absence of gating
McKenna and Bargh - computer mediated communication used by lonely and socially anxious people and found that they were more able to express their true selves more than face to face situations , 70% romantic relationships formed online survived more than 2 years
Baker and Oswald - absence of gating useful for shy people , 207 male and female complete questionnaire answers in terms of shyness internet use and perception of quality of friendships = scored highly on shyness and internet use = quality of relationship is high but low on internet use = quality of friendships are low
Online communications helps people overcome social anxiety and shyness which could help improve peoples lives
