Relationships: Virtual relationships in social media

Question 1

Outline virtual relationships in social media:

Answer 1

• reduced cue theory
• hyper-personal model
• absence of gating

Question 2

Outline virtual relationships in social media:

- reduced cue theory

Answer 2

Kiesler
Face to face more effective than online as you can see cues (e.g. face expression, tone of voice)
Online leads to re-individualisation as reduces sense of identity

Question 3

Outline virtual relationships in social media:

- hyper-personal model

Answer 3

Walther
Online people have ore time to manipulate their message to promote intimacy
Often relationships online cause high excitement but end quickly

Question 4

Outline virtual relationships in social media:

- absence of gating

Answer 4

A gate = obstical that occur in face to face interaction e.g. nerves, appearance
Refocuses attention onto less superficial things and gets relationship of the ground quicker
However also allows people to create identities they would never manage in real life

Question 5

Evaluation of virtual relationships in social media:

Answer 5

+ support for hyper-personal (Joinson found online people are more direct and intimate, in ftf its more small talk)
- Multi-model relationships (not either or, both)
+ McKenna found anxious and socially awkward people were able to express their true self better online
- Different cues online but not none