virtual relationships

• Face-to-face communication


  • Non-verbal paralanguage may be more important than the words themselves
  • Body posture or eye contact may express meaning even if verbal communication does not
• Phone communication


  • Paralanguage signals such as pauses and tone of voice can communicate intention
• Internet communication


  • Meaning is dependent only upon words and nothing else
• Self-disclosure


  An important feature of face-to-face relationships in the offline world
• Reduced cues theory


  Self-disclosure is lower in computer meditated communication (CMC) relationships, and they are less effective than face-to-face ones because they lack many of the cues we normally depend on in face-to-face interaction
• Lack of cues in CMC relationships

  Leads to deindividualization as it reduces people's sense of individual identity, which in turn encourages disinhibition to others
• Deindividualization in CMC relationships

  Virtual relationships are more likely to involve blunt and even aggressive communication
• Blunt and aggressive communication in CMC relationships

  Reluctance to disclose and reveal any meaningful information about yourself
• Hyper personal model


  Online relationships can be more personal and have higher self-disclosure than face-to-face ones
• Self-disclosure in virtual relationships


  • Disclosure happens earlier and once established, they are more intense and intimate
  • The sender of a message has more time to manipulate their online image than they would in a face-to-face situation
  • Anonymity promotes self-disclosure as people feel less accountable for their actions and behaviour
• Gate


  Any obstacle to the formation of a relationship
• Absence of gating in CMC relationships

  Allows an online relationship to 'get off the ground' in a way that is less likely to happen in a face-to-face relationship