Evaluation of Virtual Relationships

Reduced Cues Theory

Hyperpersonal Model

Lack of Research Support

The theory is wrong to assume there is an absence of cue- the cue have changed

For example; timing and style of messages

Acrostics, emojis and emoticons are used to replace, paralinguisitics

This means identity isn't lost because people can show personality through the way they message

Research to support

People are motivated to self-disclose in ways which are 'hyperhonest' or 'hyperdishonest'

Most questions asked when looking through online messages were often deeper, more intimate than those that would be asked FtF.

Online people have no problem with answering more intimate questions

This offers support because it agrees people are more likely to self-disclose when talking online.

Absence of Gating

Research Support

P's were lonely and socially anxious

P's expressed themselves further in CMC than FtF

70% of initial romantic relationships formed online last 2yrs+

Higher proportion than those formed in the offline world

Relationships are multimodal

Relationships happen offline and online

Central characteristic of most modern relationships

The information we revel online will inevitably have an effect offline

This means all of the theories above are limited because they refer to relationships as forming separately