Virtual relationship in social media Flashcards
What are psychologists interested in about v.r/s?
How self disclosure operates
What are 2 theories about what s.d is like in v.r/s?
Reduced cues theory and the hyperpersonal model
What is s.d
Revealing of personal info
SPT theory states that….
breadth of r/s needs to be established before moving on to deeper level of s.d
Who proposed the reduced cues theory
Sproull and Kiesler
R.C.T :CMC r/s less effective than FtF ones. Why?
Because they lack the cues we depend on in FtF interaction
R.C.T: what are e.g of cues to our emotional state
Facial expressions, tone of voice
What does a lack of these cues lead to
De-individuation
What is a consequence of de-individuation
Disinhibition in relating to others
R.C.T- self disclosure is…
S.D is therefore reduced
Who proposed the hyper personal model
Joseph Walther
H.P.M- how do online r/s differ from ftf ones
They are more personal and involve greater s.d
Why are online r/s more personal and have greater s.d
Because -S.D happens earlier
- and once established are more intense and intimate
What did Cooper and Sportolari propose
Boom and bust phenomenon
What is the boom and bust phenomenon
R/s develop quickly but also end quickly
Why do online r/s start but end quickly
-S.D happens earlier
-However because necessary trust had not been established, the intensity of r/s impossible to sustain, leading to break up
What is selective self presentation
Projecting a positive image
-Will make an online partner want to disclose more information, increasing the intensity of the relationship
What does H.M also say promotes s.d
Anonymity
What did Bargh say about anonymity
-We disclose more about ourselves to strangers because we feel less accountable for our behaviour
-Like strangers on train effect
What did McKenna and Bargh say is an advantage of CMC r/s
The absence of gating
What is a gate
Any obstacle to the formation of a r/s
+ve of absence of gating
-Allows r/s to get off ground
-r/s can develop to point where s.d is greater + deeper
The absence of gating as a result focuses attention on….
Self disclosure
Strength: Research support for hyperpersonal model
-Whitty and Joinson
-Qs asked in online r.s more direct probing and intimate, compared to ftf r/s where there is a lot of small talk
Limitation: opposing research for reduced cues theory
-Walther and Tidwell : people in online r/s use other cues i.e timing of messages
Limitation: ignores cultural differences
-Yum and Hara
-Compared Americans with Japanese + Koreans
-Collectivistic - low s.d
-Association b/w s.d and trust varied b.w countries
Strength: support for absence of gating
-McKenna & Bargh
-Looked CMC use by lonely and socially anxious people
-Such people able to express their true selves more than in FtF interactions
