A03 Virtual Relationships

• Lack of research support for reduced cues theory


  Walther and Tidwell point out people in online interactions use other cues like style and timing of their messages. E.g: the time taken to reply to a message. Acrostics, emoticons and emojis are used as effective substitutes for facial expressions and tone of voice in FtF interactions.
• Success of online commnication (Lack of research support for reduced cues theory)


  Success of such online communication is difficult for the reduced cues theory to explain, as it explains that CMC interactions can be just as personal as those conducted FtF and it's possible to express emotional states in virtual relationships.
• Research support for the hyperpersonal model


  The HM predicts that people are motvated to self-disclose in CMCs in ways which are somewhat 'hyper honest' and sometimes 'hyperdishonest'.
• Whitty and Joinson (Research support for the hyperpersonal model)


  Summarise a wealth of evidence that this is the case. E.g: Questions asked in online discussions are more direct than FtF conversations, which are hedged around small talk. Responses are likewise direct. These findings support a central assertion of the model, which is they the way we self-disclose in CMC relationships is designed to present outselves in an exaggeratedly positive light which aids relationship formation.
• Types of CMC


  Self-discolure online is not a blank phenomenon. It's extent and depth depend very much on the types of CMC being used. In the case of social networking sites, people interacting with others generally have have relationships in the offline world. People self-disclose more in their snapchat/instagram statuses than they are willing to in other scenarios.
• Online dating (Types of CMC)


  Online dating is an unusual example of CMC with complete strangers. Self-disclosure is reduced because both communicators anticipate future meetings FtF in the offline world, a consideration that generally does not exist in chatrooms and on gaming sites. Any theory that approaches CMC as a single concept neglects its richness and is therefore unlikely to be a complete valid explanation.
• Relationships are multimodal


  Walther argued any theory seeking to explain CMC, and self disclosure, needs to accommodate that our relationships are conducted on and offline through many medias. It is very rarely straightforward of 'either/or' and the central characteristic of many relationships .What we choose to disclose online will be influenced by our offline interactions and vice versa
• Support for absence of gating


  McKenna and Bargh found that lonely/socially anxious ppl were able to express their true selves more in CMC than in FtF sit. Of the romantic relationships initially formed online, 70% survived more than 2 yrs higher than relationships formed offline. Suggests that CMC can be helpful to support ppl who are socially anxious to build confidence in forming relationships