Forming relationships
How healthy do you really think it is to base a relationship off of what people know about each other over the internet? There is the ability to have misrepresentations of oneself, so what are some factors that lead to an online relationship being successful?In some cases, the Internet can be a healthy outlet for individuals who need support they cannot receive from the real world (Matsuba 2006). People are able to create and maintain relationships online, and those relationships are used to help individuals through their daily life. For example, a person who has not yet disclosed their homosexuality to people in their lives may go online and disclose that information to their Internet friends. This has created a healthy outlet for that particular individual, because they are able to portray the true self without having to suffer any consequences.
Jennifer Yurchisin, Kittichai Watchravesringkan and Deborah Brown McCabe concluded that people form identities that they inspire to be. Also, people form an identity that they are not able to portray to the public, because they may not feel comfortable to do so. This is especially true when concerning online dating sites. Although some people do form false identities, most people try to portray their true character and a character they hope to be some day, which is known as “possible selves)”.
When forming online relationships, people want to establish a relationship that they may not be able to form face-to-face. Maybe some people are too timid to say what they feel, but have confidence online. Or, a person may feel that they are only able to act the way they feel online. People should be careful in trusting relationships online, but they must also understand that the Internet allows for a more open line of communication.
Brown McCabe, Deborah, Watchravesringkan, Kittichai, Yurchisin, Jennifer. (2005). An Exploration of Identity Re-Creation in the Context of Internet Dating. Social Behavior and Personality, Volume 22, 735-750.
Matsuba, M. Kyle. (2006). Searching for Self and Relationships Online. CyberPsychology & Behavior, Volume 9, 275-284.
posted by Kayla Bratton @ 5:18 PM
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