Self Disclosure in virtual relationships Flashcards
Virtual relationships and social media
-Virtual relationships are any relationships that do not exist on a face to face basis
-social media platforms allow virtual relationships to occur either alongside or as a substitute for a “real life” relationship
-For example you can be friends with someone on facebook and be friends with them in real life
why is self disclosure in virtual relationships changed
-The usual restrictions and social norms that govern self disclosure are removed in virtual settings
what is reduced cues theory
Reduced cues theory explains why people react differently in online relationships compared to face to face relationships
Factors involved with reduced cues theory (behavioural signals)
-in virtual relationships there is usually a lack of behavioural signals e.g body language, facial expressions and gestures that usually govern face to face conversations and help each partner to gauge the feelings of the other
Factors involved with reduced cues theory (deindividuation)
-An individual may experience a sense of deindividuation and a loss of personal identity behind a screen name or avatar
-When deindividuated, the individual may act in a way that lacks inhibition, expressing themselves in ways they would not normally in face to face encounters
-This lack of inhibition may lead to online comments and posts that are hyper aggressive and involving extreme language
-The fear of this aggression may be why the rate of self disclosure in face to face relationships and virtual relationships are different
Hyper personal model (Walther) +why does self disclosure happen earlier
-The hyper personal model suggests that self disclosure happens much earlier and at a greater level of intimacy in virtual relationships compared to face to face relationships
-It is easier to disclose sensitive information when the other person is at a distance and you are unlikely to see them in “real life”
-It is also easier to vent to someone who is at a distance and in writing (known as the boom and bust phenomenon)
-Termination of the relationship is also much more simple as users can simply “ghost”
Selective self presentation (still part of the hyperpersonal model)
and how does this contribute to the increased intensity of self disclosure in virtual relationships
Selective self presentation is when an individual has an opportunity to present as the often idealized version of themselves because they have more time to manipulate their online image than in face to face interactions
-Presenting a positive image of themselves will make their online partner more likely to disclose personal information to them, increasing the intensity of the relationship
What are “gates” in terms of relationships
-Gates are any barrier to a relationship developing/ even getting off the ground
Absence of gating in virtual relationships
-The usual gates that are present in face-to-face relationships are removed in virtual relationships
-The absence of gating provides opportunities for those who have previously isolated themselves from relationships due to shyness or anxiety to connect with people
-Absence of gating encourages self-disclosure in relationships due to its anonymity, people can express themselves in ways that they would not be able to in face-to-face interactions
-Virtual relationships are likely to become “real world” relationships as the couple have likely shared a lot of information with each other, removing any superficial barriers that may have been there before
Research evaluation point for virtual relationships and absence of gating (Baker and Oswald 2010)
-Virtual relationships can provide opportunities for people who have previously isolated themselves from relationships to connect with people e.g Baker and Oswald (2010) found that the absence of gating enables those with crippling shyness to form fulfilling relationships
Negative evaluation of reduced cues theory (temporal validity)
-Reduced cues theory is not entirely valid as developments in modern technology such as video calls, have enabled each partner in some cases to see each other’s behavioral signals (facial expression, gestures, etc) and voice tonality
-This suggests that the reduced cues theory lacks temporal validity
