Virtual Relationships Flashcards
What is self disclosure in a virtual relationship
- selfdisclosure is an important feature of face to face relationships in the offline world
- turned to its role in virtual relationships
What are the two major and contrasting theories in self disclosure
- reduced cue theory
- the hyperpersonal model
What is the reduced cues theory
- CMC relationships are harder to establish as people are more likely to be aggressive than self-disclose personal information
- they are less effective then FtF relationships because they lack many of the normal cues we normally depend on in a normal relationship
Give an example of cues we normally depend on in a FtF relationship
- non-verbal cues such as physical appearance
- facial expressions
- tone of voice
- body actions
What can happen without these cues
- lead to de-individualisation because it produces people’s sense of individual identity
- then turns that into disinhibition in relating to others
What are virtual relationships therefore more likely to involve
- blunt and aggressive communication
- resulting in people not disclosing anything about themselves at all
- and as a result you are unlikely to initiate a relationship with someone who is so impersonal
What is the hypersonal model
- suggests that CMC relationships are easier to establish as people are more likely to self-disclose earlier on
- disclosure happens quicker and once established they are more intense and intimate
What is a negative of relationships developing quickly
- ## high excitement levels of interactions not matched with the level of trust
What is the boom and bust theory
- hyperpersonal model
- key feature: the sender of the message has more time to manipulate their online image then they would in a FtF situation
- selective self-presentation
- people online have more control over what they disclose and what cues to send
- much easier to manipulate self-disclosure to promote self-disclosure
How does anonymity relate to the hyperpersonal model
- like strangers on a train effect when it come to CMC relationships
- when you are aware that people don’t know your identity you are less accountable for your actions
- may disclose more to a stranger than an actual intimate partner
General evaluation for reduced cues theory
:( lack of research support
- wrong to suggest that nonverbal cues are missing from CMC relationships
- they are different rather than absent
- people use the time it takes for someone to reply to a message as an intimate act
Evaluation of research on self disclosure
McKenna et al
:) longitudinal study
:) randomly selected- represent more of the population then just one part of it
:( survey- people can lie
What is absence of gating in virtual relationships and give examples
- gate in this context means any obstacle to the formation of a relationship
- examples being physical attractiveness, social anxiety and a stammer
Why are FtF relationships gated
- involves many features that can interfere with the rally development of a relationship
So why is the absence of gating a huge advantage of CMC relationships
- it means that relationships can develop to a point where self disclosure becomes more fraud t and deeper
- absence of gating lets relationships get off the ground the way they wouldn’t in a FtF relationship
How does absence of gating work
- refocuses the attention on self-disclosure and away from one might be considered superficial
- online I am more interested in what you tell me rather than what you look and sound like
- parallels with the to show the voice- focus is removed from how the singer looks but rather on how they sound
What is a concern with this absence of gating
- people are free to create fake online identities
- eg a man can become a women, or a old man can become a young man
General evaluation of absence of gating
:( relationships are multimodal
- any theory trying to explain CMC relationships don’t take into account that most relationships to succeed require online as well as offline types of media
:) practical applications
- dating apps can take this information and help more people to meet people either like them or what each person is looking for
