Virtual Relationships in Social Media

Question 1

Virtual Relationships in Social Media

Answer 1

Research has indicated important differences in the way in which people conduct virtual relationships compared to face-to-face relationships in terms of: Self-disclosure and Absence of ‘gating’.

Question 2

Self-disclosure (1)

Answer 2

• One prominent difference between virtual and face-to-face relationships is that self-disclosure tends to occur much faster in virtual relationships.
• A reason for this is the anonymity associated with online relationships; people tend to hold of disclosing personal information in real life in fear of getting ridicules or rejected, unless they are confident that they can trust the person and that the information won’t be leaked to mutual friends.
• However, there is much less risk of this in virtual relationships, so people can share personal experiences and thoughts without much risk of the intimate information getting to their social group.

Question 3

Self-disclosure (2)

Answer 3

• Walther proposed the ‘hyper-personal model’ of virtual relationships, suggesting that as self-disclosure in virtual relationships happens earlier than in face-to-face ones, relationships quickly become more intense and feel more intimate.
• However, they can also end more quickly as it is difficult to sustain the same level of intense self-disclosure for a long period of time.
• Walther also suggests that virtual relationships may feel more intimate because it is easier to manipulate self-disclosure online than in-person.
• People have more time to ‘edit’ their responses during online conversations in order to present themselves in a more positive light; Walther calls this ‘selective self-presentation’. Projecting a positive image of yourself will then make an online partner want to disclose more personal information, increasing the intimacy of the relationship.

Question 4

Absence of ‘gating’ (1)

Answer 4

• Another difference between virtual and face-to-face interactions is absence of gating.
• In real life, our attraction to other people is greatly influenced by their appearance, mannerisms, age, ethnicity, etc. This limits our choice of potential partners.

-It may be that two people’s personalities are very compatibility, and attraction would occur if they spoke for any length of time, but a gate prevents this from happening.

• In virtual interactions, however, these barriers (‘gates’) are absent, creating more opportunity for shy and less attractive people to develop romantic relationships.
• Even when these factors are discovered later, when relationships move from virtual to face-to face, they rarely decrease an already-developed attraction as a result of the feeling of intimacy brought by more open self disclosure.

Question 5

Absence of ‘gating’ (2)

Answer 5

• The absence of gating also means that people can establish virtual identities they could never create face-to-face.
• Some people use the anonymity available on the internet to compensate for these gates by portraying themselves differently than they would do in face-to-face relationships.
• For example, people who lack confidence may sue the extra time available in messaging to consider their responses more carefully, and those who perceive themselves to be unattractive may choose an avatar or edited picture which does not display their ‘flaws’.

Question 6

Strength

Answer 6

point: There is research supporting the idea that virtual relationships may foster deeper self-disclosure and therefore greater attraction compared to face-to-face interactions.

evidence: McKenna et al. conducted a study where participants interacted with a partner either in person, via an internet chat room, or in both settings without realising they were communicating with the same person. The results showed that participants rated their online partners as more likeable in all conditions, suggesting that online communication may facilitate deeper and more meaningful self-disclosure by removing superficial gating factors, leading to stronger attraction compared to face-to-face interactions.

justification: This implies that this concept has important real-world applications, as it highlights how online platforms can enable individuals who struggle with face-to-face communication to develop intimate communications.

Question 7

Strength

Answer 7

point: One strength of virtual relationships is that they provide an opportunity for greater intimacy, particularly for individuals who struggle with social and in-person interactions.

evidence: Baker conducted a survey of 207 male and female students and found that high levels of shyness were positively correlated with higher perceptions of Facebook friendship quality. In contrast, those with lower levels of shyness did not show this correlation, suggesting that shy individuals benefit more from virtual relationships than their socially confident counterparts.

justification: This further increases the practical nature of research into virtual relationships as they demonstrate how reduced social pressures and anonymity of online interactions allow shy individuals to engage in self-disclosure more comfortably, leading to stronger and more fulfilling relationships.

Question 8

Weakness

Answer 8

point: A limitation of virtual relationships is the increased risk of deception, harassment and exploitation due to anonymity of online interactions.

evidence: One major concern that is overlooked is cyberbullying, which disproportionately affects young and naive individuals. The lack of physical presence in virtual relationships means that perpetrators can distance themselves emotionally from the consequences of their actions, leading to more severe cases of online harassment and less repercussions. Additionally, cyberstalking has become a growing issue, with online predators adopting false identities to pursue victims. The rise of ‘sexting’ also presents dangers, as individuals may be coerced or blackmailed into sharing explicit information or images at the expense of their welfare.

justification: This implies that while virtual relationships offer many benefits, some of its features, such as self-disclosure and absence of gating, presents unique dangers that must be addressed. It undermines the need for stricter online safety measures, such as improved moderation on social media platforms and stronger legal protection against cybercrimes. Without such interventions, the dangers of virtual relationships could potentially outweigh their benefits.

Question 9

Weakness

Answer 9

point: A weakness of virtual relationships is that they are not a blanket phenomenon but instead, they vary significantly depending on the context and platform through which individuals interact.

evidence: Research suggests that disclosures made to private audiences, where the individual’s identity may be anonymous, tend to be more intimate and revealing. For example, people in private messaging or chatrooms will often disclose more personal information than they would in public forums, such as Facebook, where their identity is known and where disclosures are more controlled and edited. This variability suggests that virtual relationships are influenced by various factors, including the level of anonymity, the platform used and the context of the relationship.

justification: This highlights that any theory which generalises virtual relationships as a singular concept is likely to overlook important nuances and the complex dynamics at play in different virtual settings, reducing its overall validity.