Virtual relationships in social media

Who made the Reduced cues theory and what is it

Lee Sproull and Sara Kiesler (1986) - theory says virtual relationships are less effective than FtF ones because they lack many of the cues we normally depend on in FtF interactions. Includes non-verbal cues like physical appearance and cues to our emotional state like facial expressions and tone of voice

What happens when there is a lack of cues

De-individuation which leads to disinhibition - people feel free to communicate in blunt and even aggressive ways. They are unlikely to want to express real thoughts and feelings to someone who is so impersonal

Who made the hyperpersonal model and what is it

Joseph Walther (1996, 2011) - argues virtual relationships can be more personal and involve greater self-disclosure than FtF ones because virtual relationships can develop very quickly as self-disclosure happens earlier, making the relationship more intense and intimate

What are the 2 key features of hyperpersonal self-disclosure in virtual relationships

1) The sender of the message has greater control over what to disclose and what cues they send than in a FtF relationship - SELECTIVE SELF-PRESENTATION: the sender manipulates their self-image to present themselves in a idealised way. To achieve this self-disclosure can either be hyperhonest or hyperdishonest

2) The receiver gains a positive impression of the sender, they may give feedback that reinforces the senders selective self-presentation

What is the other factor that promotes online self-disclosure and makes virtual relationships hyperpersonal & who pointed this out

Anonymity - John Bargh et al. (2002) said the outcome of this is like the strangers on a train effect in FtF relationships - when you are aware others don’t know your identity, you feel less accountable for your behaviour so you may disclose more about yourself to a stranger

What is a gate in relationships

Katelyn Mckenna and John Bargh (1999) said a gate is any obstacle to forming a relationship

What are gates in FtF interactions

Physical unattractiveness, facial disfigurement, a stammer, social anxiety

Why is an absence of gating important in virtual relationships

Because a virtual relationship can then develop to the point where self-disclosure becomes more frequent and deeper. It works by refocusing attention on self-disclosure and away from superficial and distracting features

What is a benefit and negative of absence of gating

Benefit: the individual is freed to be more like their ‘true selves’

Negative: it allows people to create untrue identities and deceive people in ways they could never manage in FtF interactions. They can change their gender, age, or personality - essentially they are able to create any kind of avatar to represent themselves

What is a limitation of reduced cues theory

Online verbal cues are different rather than absent. Joseph Walther and Lisa Tidwel (1995) point out that people in online relationships use other cues like style and timing of messages. For instance, taking time to reply rather than immediately replying may be seen as more intimate. Acronyms and emojis can also be used as effective substitutes for facial expressions and tone of voice - hard for reduced cues theory to explain because it means virtual relationships can be just as personal as FtF ones

What is a limitation of the hyperpersonal model

It’s challenged by the findings of a meta-analysis by Erin Ruppel et al. (2017) who carried out a meta-analysis of 25 studies that compared self-disclosure in FtF and virtual interactions. They found that self-report studies showed that frequency, breadth, and depth of self-disclosure were all greater in FtF relationships. On the other hand experimental studies showed no significant differences between FtF and virtual relationships in terms of self-disclosure - contradicts hyperpersonal models view that the greater intimacy of virtual relationships should lead to more and deeper self-disclosure than in FtF relationships

What is a counterpoint to the previous evaluation point

There is evidence that FtF and virtual relationships do differ in the type of self-disclosures used. Moinca Whitty and Adam Joinson (2009) summarise evidence showing how self-presentation is manipulated in virtual relationships. For example, questions asked in online discussion tend to be very direct, probing and intimate - diff from FtF interactions which often feature small talk. Self-presentation online can also be hyperdishonest, like when people invent attractive personal qualities for their online dating profiles - supports the models claim about hyperhonest and dishonest self-disclosures and shows there are differences between FtF and virtual relationships

What is a strength for the absence of gating

Shy, lonely, and anxious people find virtual relationships especially valuable. Katelyn Mckenna and John Bargh (2000) looked at online communication by shy, lonely, and socially anxious people and found that they were able to express their true selves more than in FtF situations. Romantic relationships formed by shy people online showed that 71% survived at least 2 years in comparison to 49% in the real world (study done by Kirkpatrick and Davis 1994) - suggests shy people benefit online presumably because the gating that obstructs FtF relationships is absent online