Virtual relationships in social media

How are virtual relationships able to take place?

Through social media - sites such as Facebook, Twitter

They offer a way for online users to interact with eachother

What has research shown about the difference between virtual relationships and face-to-face relationships?

There are differences in the way that people conduct these relationships.

What are the two differences in how virtual and face-to-face relationships are conducted.

Self disclosure (higher levels in virtual relationships)

Gates (there’s an absence of these in virtual relationships)

Self-disclosure definition

When a person reveals intimate personal info about themselves to another person.

SELF-DISCLOSURE IN VIRTUAL RELATIONSHIPS: How can the difference between disclosure to a romantic partner and the sharing of personal information in a public situation online be explained?

The concept of ‘broadcasting self-disclosure’:

Self-disclosure in the public domain (posts, stories) involves the individual presenting an ‘edited’ version of the self to others.

Individuals using social networks exercise different levels of self-disclosure depending on whether they’re presenting information publicly or privately.

At what level do people disclose in private online?

People feel more secure disclosing intimate and sensitive information in private (private messaging) because of increased control over disclosure to a selected individual.

At what level do people disclose to a wider audience online?

When sharing self-disclosures in more visible ways with a wider audience (eg Instagram story) people are more selective over the content - revealing information that is less private and intimate.

People may compensate for the lack of control over target audience by exercising increased control over what information the audience has access to.

Why do people self-disclose more on the internet?

The psychological effects of anonymity.

The relative anonymity of internet interactions greatly reduces the risk of disclosure as people can share inner thoughts/feelings with much less fear of disapproval from the other person.

We don’t know this person in real life, and they don’t have access to our social circle. So confidentiality is less of an issue.

Why do people disclose less in face-to-face interactions?

Individuals don’t usually engage in self-disclosure until they’re confident that the disclose remains confidential, and not leaked to others.

The danger of high self-disclosure in face-to-face interactions are that confidentiality may be violated or the other person may respond negatively to the disclosure - leading to rejection.

What are gates?

The barriers that limit opportunities for the less attractive, shy or less socially skilled to form relationships in face-to-face relationships.

What factors determine who we approach, and who we develop romantic relationships with in face-to-face relationships?

Personal factors such as physical appearance and mannerisms

How do we categorise potential partners before making a decision about whether we’d like a relationship with that person?

Available features such as attractiveness, age, ethnicity

Are there gates in online relationships?

What’s the consequence of the lack of gating in online relationships?

A person’s true self is more likely to be active.

The reduction of gating also enables people to stretch the truth a bit - to appear as more socially desirable.