Virtual Relationships In Social Media Flashcards
Define the term “Virtual Relationships”
Are relationships that are conducted through the internet rather than face to face, for example through social media
Define the term “Self disclosure”
When a person reveals intimate personal information about themselves to another person
Define the term “Gates”
Gates are barriers that limit opportunities for the less attractive, shy or less socially skilled to form relationships in face-to-face encounters
Who proposed the concept of “broadcasting self disclosure”?
Jourard (1971)
What is broadcasting self disclosure?
- When people present ‘edited’ versions of self over social media.
- people will disclose more privately (messaging) on Facebook due to increased control
- people are more selective, revealing less private information publicly on Facebook for example
Why do people disclose more on the internet?
- Anonymity (less fear of disapproval)
- In face to face interactions - other person could respond negatively to the disclosure, leading to ridicule or rejection
What is the relationship between self disclosure and the ‘strangers on the train’ phenomenon?
-Rubin 1975, = more likely to disclose personal information to people we don’t know and probably won’t see again as stranger doesn’t have access to inner circle and confidentially is not an issue
What are examples of barriers or ‘gates’?
- Attractiveness
- Ethnicity
- Age
Who is affected by these barriers?
- The less attractive
- The shy
- The less socially skilled
What are the benefits of the removal of hating?
- A persons true self is more likely to be active in internet relationships that’s than it is in real life
- Zhao et al 2008 = ‘gated’ individuals can present the indentured they hope to establish but are unable to in face to face situations
What are the consequences of absence of hating ?
- individuals can create a fake persona online
- Yurchisin et al (2005) interviews 11 online daters and found they ‘better to themselves online or steal other daters’ ideas or copy other people.
(AO3)
Is the internet important for romantic relationships?
P: Rosenfeld and Thomas (2012) = internet important in relationships
E: Study of 4,000 US adults more than 71% who had internet were in relationship.
35.9% for those without internet.
Variables like age and gender didn’t impact, as those with internet were twice as likely to be in a relationship
E: Suggets that the internet may be displacing rather than simply complementing the traditional ways of meeting a romantic partner
(AO3)
Are virtual relationships as strong as offline relationships?
P: (Putnam, 2000) = often claimed virtual relationships isn’t as rich as offline relationships
E: For example, it is believed that relationships formed online are of lower quality and more temporary than relationships formed in more traditional ways.
E: However, Rosenfeld and Thomas (2012) found no difference, evidence that virtual was less fragile
(AO3)
What is the biological evidence that shows humans are motivated to self disclose online?
P: Tamil & Mitchell (2012) found evidence
E: Found increased MRI activity in the two brain regions that are associated with reward. These were strongly activated when people were talking about themselves not others
E: suggest that the human tendency to share our personal experiences with others over social media may arise from the rewarding nature of self disclosure
(AO3)
Does Facebook help shy people have better quality friendships?
P: Baker and Oswald (2012) shy people find value in virtual relationships
E: Surveyed 207 students about shyness and Facebook usage and quality of friends. Shy people = greater usage & higher perceptions of friendship quality.
Low shyness = Facebook not related to quality
E: Suggests shy people are able to overcome the barriers they face when trying to form relationships in real life
