2022-2024 Year 13 A-Level Psychology - Relationships: Virtual Relationships in Social Media
Absence of gating means that the usual barriers (gates) in face‑to‑face interactions — such as appearance, social anxiety, stammering — are reduced or removed in virtual relationships, allowing people to focus more on personality and self‑disclosure.
What is meant by absence of gating?
Lack of obstacles to face to face communication
Key Terms
What is meant by absence of gating?
Lack of obstacles to face to face communication
Provide example of gate that can limit face to face interactions
Stutter
Stammer
Physical appearance
In terms of gating, why are virtual relationships better?
There is an absence of gating so it is easier to communicate
If there is an absence of gating why does this help relationships develop?
Easier to communicate
Reach self disclosure quicker
People can be more open
If there is an absence of gating why does this make relationships development more difficult?
May not be able to main online image in real life e.g. pretending to be extrovert when an introvert
People may be di...
How can the hyper-personal model increase self disclosure
High levels of excitement so disclose quicker
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
What is meant by absence of gating? | Lack of obstacles to face to face communication |
Provide example of gate that can limit face to face interactions | Stutter Stammer Physical appearance |
In terms of gating, why are virtual relationships better? | There is an absence of gating so it is easier to communicate |
If there is an absence of gating why does this help relationships develop? | Easier to communicate Reach self disclosure quicker People can be more open |
If there is an absence of gating why does this make relationships development more difficult? | May not be able to main online image in real life e.g. pretending to be extrovert when an introvert People may be dishonest |
How can the hyper-personal model increase self disclosure | High levels of excitement so disclose quicker |
What is selective self presentation? | we have control over our online image so we can choose how we want to present ourselves |
How can anonymity impact the hyper-personal model | More likely to disclose Less accountable People unaware of your identify |
How does reduced cue theory argue that self disclosure is reduced. | Lack of conversation cues e.g. facial expression Can make conversation less open |
In terms of reduced cue theory, explain the role of deindividuation and disinhibition. | Deindividuation is where we lose our sense of identity and lead to disinhibition so there are no limits on behaviour so people become more blunt Deindividuation occurs because the whole process of virtual relationships is impersonal. |
How does McKenna and Barge (2000) support absence of gating | People who were shy, lonely and socially anxious were more able to show true self virtually 7!% of virtual relationships started online by shy people lasted more than 2 years |
What is a limitation of the methods used to study virtual relationships? | Based on self report Subjective Open to bias |
How does research by Walther and Tidwell contradict reduced cue theory? | People online use other non-face-to-face cues such as timing of messages or how the message is written Therefore there may not be reduced cues, just different cues in virtual relationships. |