Virtual + social media

• Virtual relationships-

  Self-disclosure - revealing personal information over time to strengthen romantic relationships

  Absence of gates - Face to Face relationships struggle to develop due to seeing physical qualities (appearance, mannerism)

  CMC - computer-mediated communication
• Virtual relationships -

  Reduced cues - Sproull + Kiesler

  • VR are less effective due to lacking FtF interactions
  • reduces the sense of individual identity (de-individualisation) causing disinhibitation
  • causes the feeling of freer blunt communication = reduced SD due to being impersonal
• Virtual relationships -

  Hyperpersonal model - Walther

  • VR become more personal quicker than FtF as they are more intense and intimate
  • sender has control over disclosure more than FtF = selective self-presentation — manipulated self-image to be idealistic (hyperhonest = intesne truth or hyperdishonest = intense false)
  • positive reinforcement is then given by the receiver of the selective self-presentation = strengthened
• Virtual relationship—

  Additional factor - Bargh

  • anonymity promotes virtual hyperpersonal relationships
  • People are aware that others don’t know their true identity = virtual persona
  • Allows them to be less accountable for their behaviours + more likely to disclose more personal information that may not be shared FtF with an intimate partner
• Virtual relationships-

  Gating -

  • Obstacle when forming the relationship — appearance, distance, religion, associates, mannerism, personality
  • easily identified and removed online
  • McKenna + Bargh = advantage online as SD becomes more frequent and meaningful — less of an issue when meeting FtF due to the pre-established relationship
  • Zhao = facebook empowers gated individuals through stretching the truth
• Virtual relationships-

  Evaluations-

  S- McKenna + Bargh = aids those struggling with loneliness or anxiety — 71% of VR get to 2 years

  W- lacks temporal validity — Zhao’s outdated FB

  W- SD can be negative — too much too soon can cause relationships to fall, even online

  W- Gender bias — McKenna = women focus of SD + intimacy more than men

  W- Culture bias — imposed etic = individualist cultures see SD as trust but collectivist cultures don’t

  W- focus on romantic relationships — friendships online are less likely to SD

  W- Reduced cues weakness = replaced with emojis/memes