Virtual relationships

Question 1

what is a virtual relationship in social media?

Answer 1

• common to start relationships through communicating using social media
• psychologists are interested in why in online relationships we disclose more and develop intimacy sooner

Question 2

Absence of gating mechanisms:

Answer 2

• internet communication stops barriers and filters you have when communicating with someone in real life playing a part
• attractiveness, speech deficits, age and being from different social or ethnic background

Question 3

anonymity:

Answer 3

• deindividuation= reduction in feelings of responsibility
• leads to loss of inhibition
• people say things online they never usually would in real life
• the lack of normal distancing that face to face interactions have lead to false sense of closeness

Question 3

reduced cue theories:

Answer 3

• computers lack features in face to face communication like facial expressions
• could result in people reading to much into what they have typed

Question 4

Hyperpersonal model: Walther (1996)

Answer 4

• people can manipulate their online identity
• control interactions
• to display hyper honest, or a hyper dishonest version of themselves

Question 5

research support: Duggan and smith (2013) pew research on online dating

Answer 5

• large scale nation study of over 2000 americans
• found online dating is becoming more acceptable
• 53% say ‘ better because can meet people they wouldn’t usually’
• reasons for
• 60% = find ppl w similar hobbies
• 52%= find ppl w similar values
• 54% of internet daters say they felt they were misinterpreted on their profile

Question 6

research support: Duggan and smith (2013) pew research on online dating- what does this suggest?

Answer 6

• people see the internet as a way to overcome gates/ filters
• able to get to know them through self disclosure and personal interests
• others are able to take advantage of the hyper personal model by producing a dishonest version of themselves

Question 7

research support: Mckenna and Bargh (200) online relationships last

Answer 7

• those who can express themselves more online after two years 70% of relationships formed online survive
• compared to 50% that begin in the real world

Question 8

Evaluation: research on virtual relationships lack temporal validity

Answer 8

• research/ theories may lack temporal validity
• early computer interaction lacked visual cues
• development of skype and facetime means there more cues present when communicating

Question 9

Evaluation: significant benefits of online relationships

Answer 9

• despite potential drawbacks
• some benefits to virtual relationships
• allow people to access relationships that wouldnt be available bc of gaiting
• reducing loneliness

Question 10

Evaluation: increase in virtual relationships could have negative social consequences

Answer 10

• excessive dependence on virtual relationships may lead to negative social consequences
• face to face communication gets worse bc lack of practice reading cues

Question 11

Evaluation: not all virtual environments are the same

Answer 11

• on gaming sites there is more self disclosure than dating sites
• connecting to someone on a dating site may lead to face to face interaction

Question 12

Evaluation: other online cues

Answer 12

• cues used in real life interactions may not be present
• but there are other us like emojis, or how long it takes for someone to respond to a message