Virtual relationships

• What is a strength of research on virtual relationships?

  It stresses the importance of the internet for romantic relationships
• What did Rosenfeld and Thomas (2012) demonstrate about the internet's role in relationships?

  They showed that the internet helps individuals form and maintain relationships
• How many US adults were studied by Rosenfeld and Thomas (2012)?

  4,000 US adults
• What percentage of individuals with internet access at home had a spouse or romantic partner?

  71.8%
• What percentage of individuals without internet access had a spouse or romantic partner?

  35.9%
• How much more likely were individuals with internet access to have a partner compared to those without?

  Twice as likely
• Why is the research by Rosenfeld and Thomas significant?

  It suggests that the internet may be displacing traditional ways of meeting partners
• What implication does the research have for studying romantic relationships?

  It suggests that new insights can be gained on how relationships form in the modern world
• What is a weakness of virtual relationships according to research?

  They are weaker compared to face-to-face relationships.
• What is a limitation of the research conducted by Rosenfeld and Thomas?

  It is correlational and does not demonstrate if relationships were formed over the internet
• How might individuals who are already dating use the internet according to the study's findings?

  They may purchase internet access for entertainment purposes
• What does Putnam (2000) suggest about Internet communication?

  It leads to superficial relationships that cannot compare with face-to-face relationships.
• Why is the quality of online relationships considered lower?

  Because they are more temporary than relationships formed in traditional ways.
• What role does social media play in relationships according to Rosenfeld and Thomas?

  It helps individuals to form and maintain relationships
• What does the conflicting research suggest about virtual relationships?

  Research supporting that virtual relationships are as strong as face-to-face relationships is unreliable.
• What does the research suggest about traditional ways of meeting romantic partners?

  They may be displaced by the internet
• What did Rosenfeld and Thomas (2012) find regarding online and offline relationships?

  They found no difference in the quality of online and offline relationships.
• What conclusion did Rosenfeld and Thomas (2012) reach about the fragility of online relationships?

  They found that online relationships were not more fragile than offline relationships.
• What is a strength of virtual relationships according to the study material?

  Facebook helps shy people have better quality friendships.
• What did Baker and Oswald (2010) find about shy individuals and virtual relationships?

  Shy individuals find particular value in virtual relationships.
• What was the relationship between Facebook usage and friendship quality for students with high shyness scores?

  Greater use of Facebook was associated with higher perceptions of friendship quality.
• How did Facebook usage affect students who scored low for shyness?

  Facebook usage was not associated with perception of friendship quality.
• Why is the ability to form relationships through social media important for shy individuals?

  It helps them overcome barriers they face in real life.
• What is the overall implication of improved virtual relationships for shy individuals?

  It can help improve the quality of friendships and therefore quality of life.
• What demographic did Baker and Oswald (2010) survey in their study?

  Male and female students.
• What is a strength of research on virtual relationships according to the study material?

  There may be a biological basis for self-disclosure on Facebook.
• What three factors were surveyed by Baker and Oswald (2010)?

  Shyness, Facebook usage, and the quality of friendships.
• What did Tamir and Mitchell (2012) find regarding self-disclosure on social media?

  They found evidence of a biological basis for the motivation to self-disclose.
• What does the study suggest about the relationship between shyness and perceived friendship quality on Facebook?

  Higher shyness is linked to higher perceived friendship quality with increased Facebook usage.
• Which brain regions showed increased MRI activity when individuals talked about themselves according to Tamir and Mitchell (2012)?

  Two brain regions associated with reward.
• Why is the finding about self-disclosure on social media significant?

  It suggests that the tendency to share personal experiences may arise from the rewarding nature of self-disclosure.
• What does the research support imply about the tendency to disclose online?

  It increases the reliability of the theories regarding online self-disclosure.