Virtual Relationships

• Virtual Relationships


  = a wide variety of electronic communication methods by which relationships can be formed and maintained.
• Self-disclosure


  Self-disclosure is crucial for face-to-face relationships, but has two main theories in social media based relationships:

  • Reduced cues theory
  • Hyperpersonal model
• Reduced Cues Theory


  Sproull and Kiesler:

  • Virtual relationships are less effective because they lack many cues we depend on for communications e.g. emotional state
  • Lack of cues leads to de-individuation as it reduces people's sense of identity, encouraging disinhibition. People feel free to communicate in blunt or aggressive ways, resulting in reluctance to self-disclose.
• Hyperpersonal Model


  Walther:

  • Virtual relationships can be more personal and involve greater self-disclosure, because they develop quickly as self-disclosure happens earlier, meaning they are more intense and intimate.

  Cooper and Sportolari

  • They also end quicker because high excitement level isn't matched with the level of trust between partners (boom and bust)
• Features of self-disclosure


  1. Sender of messages has control over what to disclose and the cues they send, manipulating their self-image to present themselves in a positive and idealised way
  2. The receiver gains positive impression of sender, and may give feedback or responses to reinforce the selective self-presentation

  • Bargh et al - importance of anonymity to feel less accountable for your behaviour and you may disclose more
• Absence of Gating 


  Gate = anything that can get in the way of a relationship developing

  McKenna and Bargh:

  • FtF relationships are gated by attractiveness, shyness, social anxiety etc
  • Virtual relationships do not have most of these gates, allowing people to refocus on self-disclosure being more frequent and deeper. People feel more free to be themselves or create a version they want to be
• Eval : Strength


  Rosenfeld and Thomas studies 4000 US adults and found those with internet access were more likely to be in a relationship (72% had a romantic partner) compared to 36% for no internet access. Provides support for the importance of the internet and virtual relationships.
• Eval : Strength


  McKenna and Bargh looked at online communication used by socially anxious people and found they were able to express their true selves more. Provides support for absence of gating.
• Eval : Weakness


  Walther and Tidwell say that people in online interactions use other cues, like style and timing of messages, suggesting that reduced cues theory doesn't really explain the success of online communication, as virtual relationships just use different cues instead.