Virtual relationships

• What are virtual relationships?

  Relationships formed through virtual connections.
• How does self-disclosure differ in virtual relationships?

  It may be greater than in face-to-face interactions.
• How does anonymity affect self-disclosure in virtual relationships?

  Anonymity may increase self-disclosure levels.
• What is the impact of lack of non-verbal cues in virtual communication?

  It may lead to increased self-disclosure.
• What does Walther's hyperpersonal model suggest?

  Non-verbal cues distract from communication content.
• What did Jiang et al (2010) find about virtual interactions?

  Disclosure and intimacy were higher in text-based interactions.
• What factors influence self-disclosure in virtual relationships?

  • Context of the interaction (public vs. anonymous)
  • Mixture of virtual and face-to-face interactions
• What does the absence of gating mean in virtual relationships?

  Barriers preventing relationship formation are absent.
• What are the positives and negatives of the absence of gating?

  Positives:

  • Overcoming barriers to form relationships.

  Negatives:

  • Potential for deception and fake personas.