Virtual Relationships

Question 1

Does self-disclosure differ between virtual (computer mediated communications- CMC) and face to face (FtF) relationships?

Answer 1

SD happens much faster due to anonymity. Much less risk of rejection and ridicule, so greater sharing of personal information. They are less likely to meet your friends or family or you.

Question 2

What are the names of the two opposing theories?

Answer 2

• The hyper personal model. Walther (1996)- self disclosure is higher
• Reduced cues theory. Sproull and Kiesler (1986)- self disclosure is lower.

Question 3

What is the Hyperpersonal model by Walther (1996)?

Answer 3

Virtual relationships are more personal and have greater self disclosures than FtF. More time to edit and present in a positive light (selective self-presentation)
Virtual relationships can develop very quickly as SD happens earlier so they become more intense and intimate
They can also end quicker because of the underlying trust and knowledge of the other person is lacking- ‘boom and bust’ phenomenon of relationships

Question 4

What is the ‘Boom and Bust’?

Answer 4

Cooper and Sportolari (1997) found that anonymity of online interactions gave webs-users a sense of security, so disclosed personal info much earlier than they would FtF, making relationships exciting and intense (Boom)
However, as the necessary trust foundation had not been established, the intensity was impossible to sustain, leading to break-up (Bust).
This shows that breadth of relationships needs to be established first, before deeper self-disclosure, just as social penetration theory suggests.

Question 5

What did Bargh et al (2002) find?

Answer 5

People are more likely to share personal information with a stranger because we will never see them again.

Question 6

What is the reduced cues theory by Sproull and Kiesler (1986)?

Answer 6

• cues such as physical appearance or cues to our emotional state are lacking in virtual communications (e.g lack facial expressions)
• this can lead to deindividuation (a person losing their identity) and acting in a way they wouldn’t normally do
• so often virtual involves aggressive and blunt communication, which leads to a reluctance to self-disclose.

Question 7

What is a gate?

Answer 7

A feature/obstacle that could interfere with the development of a relationship (FtF). Some examples are age, ethnicity, disability, stammer or speech problems, etc.

Question 8

What did Bargh et al (1999) find about the absence of gating?

Answer 8

• Absence of gating refers to the way that virtual relationships are relatively anonymous and barriers to relationship formation are removed.
• these gates can remain hidden during a CMC relationship and allows self disclosure and intimacy to develop, avoiding distractions that might occur during FtF
• then the gate may be revealed but because of the self-disclosure. It doesn’t matter as much now.