Romantic or platonic relationships that develop through computer-mediated communication (CMC), including social media, messaging apps, and online dating.
Self-Disclosure:
The process of revealing personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences to another person, which fosters intimacy and trust.
Gating:
Any obstacle or barrier (e.g., physical appearance, social anxiety) that might prevent relationship development in face-to-face (FtF) interactions.
Absence of Gating:
In virtual communication, these barriers are removed, allowing individuals to connect based on inner qualities rather than superficial traits.
How Self-Disclosure Works Online vs. Face-to-Face:
Self-disclosure occurs in both face-to-face and online relationships, but its nature differs in virtual settings:
In face-to-face interactions, self-disclosure is gradual and depends on trust.
How Self-Disclosure Works Online vs. Face-to-Face:
In virtual relationships, self-disclosure tends to be quicker, deeper, and more frequent, due to:
Anonymity: People feel less fear of judgment
Lack of Social Cues: The absence of body language, tone of voice, or facial expressions reduces social pressure.
More Control Over Disclosure: Unlike face-to-face communication, CMC allows individuals to edit responses, leading to carefully managed self-presentation.
Reduced Risk of Rejection: Disclosing personal details online feels safer as it removes the immediate risk of negative reactions.
How Self-Disclosure Works Online vs. Face-to-Face:
Supporting Study:
Joinson (2001):
Found that self-disclosure was higher in online communication compared to face-to-face interactions.
Suggests that anonymity and lack of non-verbal cues encourage more open communication.
Hyperpersonal Model (Walther, 1996)
Argues that online relationships can become more intense than face-to-face ones due to greater self-disclosure.
Key factors include:
Selective Self-Presentation: Individuals carefully choose how they present themselves online.
Idealized Perceptions: People create positive images of online partners, leading to intense emotional connections.
Asynchronous Communication: Online interactions do not require an immediate response, allowing individuals to plan and edit their messages.
Hyperpersonal Model (Walther, 1996):
Supporting Study:
Whitty & Joinson (2009):
Found that online conversations often included more direct, probing, and intimate questions than face-to-face conversations.
Suggests that people self-disclose more openly online, leading to quicker relationship development.
Reduced Cues Theory (Sproull & Kiesler, 1986):
Argues that virtual relationships are less personal than face-to-face ones due to:
Lack of non-verbal cues (e.g., facial expressions, body language).
Greater potential for misinterpretation of tone and intent.
More impersonal and detached interactions.
Suggests that self-disclosure may not always lead to deep relationships but could instead make interactions more superficial.
Reduced Cues Theory (Sproull & Kiesler, 1986):
Contradictory Study:
Sproull & Kiesler (1986):
Found that online communication was more blunt and impersonal than face-to-face interactions.
Suggests that lack of social cues can hinder relationship development rather than enhance it.
Gating in Face-to-Face Relationships:
In real-world relationships, gating factors can prevent social interaction and relationship formation, such as:
Shyness or social anxiety, which makes approaching others difficult.
Speech difficulties (e.g., stuttering).
Cultural or social status differences.
Geographical distance, which limits face-to-face interaction.
Absence of Gating in Virtual Relationships:
In virtual relationships, these gates are removed, allowing people to interact based on personality and shared interests rather than superficial factors.
People who struggle with face-to-face interaction (e.g., introverts, socially anxious individuals) can form relationships more easily online.
This can lead to deeper connections, as relationships are not based on first impressions or external appearance.
Absence of Gating in Virtual Relationships:
Supporting Study:
McKenna & Bargh (1999):
Found that online relationships developed faster and were often more intimate than face-to-face ones.
Suggests that the absence of gating helps people connect more meaningfully.
Consequences of the Absence of Gating:
Positive Outcomes:
More meaningful relationships: Connections are based on personality rather than appearance.
Increased confidence: Socially anxious people find it easier to interact online.
More successful relationships: People form deeper emotional bonds without physical judgments.
Consequences of the Absence of Gating:
Negative Outcomes:
Catfishing: Without verification, some people misrepresent themselves online.
Deception: People can fake identities, leading to misleading relationships.
Unrealistic Expectations: Idealized online personas can disappoint when meeting in real life.
Yurchisin et al. (2005):
Found that people often exaggerate or alter personal details on dating profiles.
Suggests that deception is common in virtual relationships, reducing trust.
Key Ideas:The Hyperpersonal Model
Boom and Bust Effect:
Relationships formed online often develop quickly due to high self-disclosure ("boom").
However, once individuals meet in real life, the idealized perceptions may not match reality, leading to breakdowns in the relationship ("bust").
Key Ideas:The Hyperpersonal Model
Hyperpersonal Communication is Strategic:
Users tailor their responses more thoughtfully, leading to deeper and more meaningful interactions.
The asynchronous nature of CMC (not happening in real-time) allows users to construct more perfected responses compared to real-time conversations.
Walther’s Study on Virtual Relationships:
Walther (1996) aimed to investigate how computer-mediated communication (CMC) influences relationship formation compared to face-to-face interactions.
Method:
He examined online relationships by analyzing how people communicated and disclosed personal information through email, chat rooms, and social media.
Compared interactions in CMC with face-to-face relationships.
Focused on aspects like self-disclosure, intimacy, and relationship development speed.
Walther’s Study on Virtual Relationships:
Findings
Greater Self-Disclosure:
Participants in online relationships disclosed more personal and intimate information than those in FtF interactions.
This was because of selective self-presentation and the absence of immediate social pressures.
Hyperpersonal Communication:
Online interactions led to quicker emotional connections and stronger perceived intimacy than FtF interactions.
However, these relationships were also more fragile due to the idealized nature of self-presentation.
Walther’s Study on Virtual Relationships:
Findings:
Lack of Non-Verbal Cues Increased Focus on Written Expression:
Participants compensated for the lack of body language and tone of voice by carefully crafting their words.
This led to deeper, more meaningful conversations in some cases.
Boom and Bust Effect:
While relationships developed quickly online, they often collapsed once people met in person.
This was because expectations based on idealized self-presentation did not always match reality.