virtual relationships in social media

reduced cues theory

Sproull and Kiesler implied that CMC relationships are less effective ta f-f relationships because they lack many of the cues we normally depend on

deindividuation

non-verbal cues e.g. physical appearance and emotional state and facial expressions and tone of voice are missing in CMC

results in deindividuation because of the reduction in our sense of identity

self-disclosure

virtual relationships often involve blunt of aggressive communication

leads to a reluctance to SD because you are less likely to want to initiate a relationship with someone who appears impersonal

hyperpersonal model

Walther argues online relationships can be more personable and involve greater SD than f-f ones

hyperpersonal theory

CMC relationships can develop very quickly as SD happens earlier, and once established they are more intense and intimate

Cooper and Sportolari 1997

CMC relationships can also end more quickly, because the high excitement level of the interaction isn’t matched by the level of trust between partners

called the boom and bust phenomenon of online relationships

selective self presentation

according to the hyperpersonal model, a key feature of SD in virtual relationships is that the sender has more time to manipulate their online image

Walther calls this selective self preservation

Walther

people online have more control over what to disclose and the cues they send

this makes it much easier to manipulate SD to promote intimacy in CMC relationships, by self-presenting in a positive and idealised way

Bargh et al. 2002

when you’re aware that other people do not know your identity, you feel less accountable for your behaviour which can lead to disclosing more about yourself to a stranger than even an intimate partner

gating

any obstacle that can interfere with the early development of a relationship such as unattractiveness, stammer and social anxiety

McKenna and Bargh 1999

a huge advantage of CMC is the absence of gating, meaning that a relationship can develop to the point where SD becomes more frequent and deeper

absence of gating

allows an online relationship to form in a way that is less likely to happen f-f

works by re-focusing attention on SD and away from what may be considered a superficial or distracting feature