virtual relationships

• how can virtual relationships be formed?

  through any type of CMC 'computer mediated communication
• what platforms do CMC's involve?

  email or networking sites like instagram
• what will exam questions focus upon the effect of?

  self-disclosure and absence of gating
• what does SPT suggest about self-disclosure?

  suggests self-disclosure is a vital part of face to face relationships
• which theories suggest how self-disclosure operated in CMC relationships?

  reduced cues theorythe hyperpersonal model
• what does reduced cues theory suggest?

  we're less likely to disclose personal information in a CMC than we would in face to face communication so CMC's are less effective in developing relationships
• why does reduced cues theory suggest this?

  CMC's lack non-verbal cues e.g. appearance and tone of voice that give us additional information about the person we're communicating with
• what does a lack of non-verbal cues lead to?

  de-individuation (person loses sense of individual identity) which then leads to disinhibition (lack of restraint) when communicating
• what type of communication do CMC's involve and what does this cause?

  blunt/aggressive communication which decreases the likelihood of self-disclosure + recipients wanting to form a relationship with the sender
• give a weakness of reduced cues theory

  :( lacks temporal validity - central idea that self-disclosure is limited due to a lack of non-verbal cues is incorrect - people use cues like timing/style of response to signal things + acronyms/emojis are effective substitutes for facial expressions/tone of voice so it's possible to express emotional state in VR's
• why are assumptions about CMC's becoming less correct?

  CMC's get more sophisticated as time passes
• what does the hyperpersonal model suggest?


  we're more likely to disclose personal information in a CMC than we are in face to face communication because of two mechanisms
• what are these two mechanisms?

  selective self-presentation - (sender of CMC has more time to think about what to say/post than they do face to face so they have more control over what cues to send + what they disclose which leads them to present themselves positively to promote intimacy with others anonymity - senders of CMC's feel less accountable for their behaviour because they know others aren't aware of their identity which causes them to disclose more about themselves than they would to an intimate friend/partner
• how do CMC relationships develop + end in contrast to face to face relationships?

  they develop more quickly and become more intense and intimate once established because of selective self presentation and anonymity boom and bust phenomenon - end more quickly as high levels of excitement aren't matched by the level of trust between partners
• give a strength of the hyperpersonal model


  :) research has found questions asked in online discussions are direct and intimate and responses are also to the point (no small talk like in face to face) which supports the idea that we self-disclose to present ourselves in a positive light
• give two weaknesses of the hyperpersonal model

  :( theories fail to consider there are different types of CMC and people will be more/less willing to disclose personal information depending on the type of CMC e.g. facebook (disclose more) VS linkedin (disclose less as it's professional) so they're incomplete + invalid theories :( explanations fail to consider that CMC relationships are usually with people we have face to face relationships with too which affects what we're prepared to disclose about ourselves - self-disclosure might be limited on online dating sites as they expect to meet up face to face in the future so theories are missing an important factor and are limited
• what is a 'gate' in virtual relationships?

  an obstacle to the formation of a relationship e.g. physical appearance, a stammer, smell
• who discussed the absence of gating in virtual relationships + what did they argue?

  McKenna & Bargh - absence of gating is advantageous in a CMC relationship as it allows the relationship to 'get off the ground' and develop which is less likely in face to face relationships
• why does the absence of gating allow CMC relationships to develop?

  attention is focused away from superficial features and put onto self-disclosure so partners are more interested in what is being said instead of looks
• give two strengths of the role of absence of gating in VR's

  :) research has shown socially anxious people were more able to form online relationships through CMCs than in face to face communication as they could 'go beyond' concerns about introversion to get to know partners intimately - valid explanation of the development of VR's:) research has shown romantic relationships that started online were likely to survive long-term (over 2 years) than those that started face to face as VR partners disclosed moe intimate details before they met - valid explanation of development of VR's
• give a weakness of the role of absence of gating in VR's

  :( limited explanation - online partners can create identities e.g. fake profile pictures, alter personality etc. which aren't possible in face to face communication so the relationship wouldn't progress into a face to face one