Research Support for Increased Self-Disclosure in Online Relationships:
Studies confirm that people share more personal information in online settings, leading to stronger emotional bonds.
Supporting Study:
Whitty & Joinson (2009):
Found that online interactions often involved deeper personal questions compared to face-to-face conversations.
Suggests that CMC encourages greater intimacy and self-disclosure.
Strength:
Virtual Relationships Help Socially Anxious Individuals:
Online communication removes social barriers, helping shy or anxious individuals form relationships more easily.
Supporting Study:
Baker & Oswald (2010):
Found that shy individuals reported stronger friendships online than in face-to-face settings.
Suggests that virtual relationships help those who struggle with face-to-face interactions.
Weakness:
Lack of Non-Verbal Cues Can Lead to Misinterpretation:
Online communication lacks body language, facial expressions, and vocal tone, which can cause misunderstandings.
Contradictory Study:
Sproull & Kiesler (1986):
Found that CMC relationships were less personal due to the absence of non-verbal cues.
Suggests that virtual relationships may be less meaningful than face-to-face ones.
Weakness:
Online Deception and Catfishing:
People can lie about their age, gender, or appearance, leading to trust issues and disappointment.
Contradictory Study:
Yurchisin et al. (2005):
Found that many people exaggerate personal details on dating profiles.
Suggests that online relationships are prone to deception, making trust more difficult.
Strength: Walther
Empirical Support from Whitty & Joinson (2009):
Study: Whitty & Joinson found that online interactions encourage direct and intimate self-disclosure, supporting Walther’s Hyperpersonal Model.
Explanation: Online users were more likely to ask personal questions and give more intimate responses, leading to rapid relationship formation, which aligns with Walther’s findings.
Why It’s a Strength: Provides real-world evidence that online communication fosters deeper self-disclosure than face-to-face interactions.
Strength: Walther
Application to Online Dating & Social Media:
Study: McKenna et al. (2002) found that relationships formed online can be stronger and longer-lasting, especially for individuals who are socially anxious in real-life interactions.
Explanation: This supports Walther’s idea that asynchronous communication (where people can edit responses) leads to more thoughtful and intimate exchanges.
Why It’s a Strength: Highlights the practical applications of the Hyperpersonal Model in modern online dating and long-distance relationships.
Weakness: Walther
Lack of Consideration for Individual Differences:
Study: Nussbaum et al. (2000) found that not everyone self-discloses more online, contradicting Walther’s claim that online relationships are inherently more intimate.
Explanation: Some individuals may still prefer face-to-face interactions and feel uncomfortable with online self-disclosure.
Why It’s a Weakness: Suggests that the model overgeneralizes and does not account for differences in personality, gender, or culture.
Weakness: Walther
Boom and Bust Effect is Not Universal:
Study: Ruppel et al. (2017) found that the depth of online self-disclosure varies depending on the context (e.g., romantic vs. professional relationships).
Explanation: Not all online relationships lead to intensified intimacy followed by sudden breakdown as Walther suggested.
Why It’s a Weakness: Challenges the universality of Walther’s model, suggesting that it may not apply to all types of virtual relationships.