Week 15, Question 1

1). Have you made friendships that exist exclusively in cyberspace? If so, how are they different from f2f relationships? If you have not formed cyber relationships, why not?

I have never made a friendship that was exclusively in cyberspace. I remember the first time I started using instant messaging was in seventh grade and I only used it to talk to friends I made to school. For me, I always initiate a friendship first through face to face encounters. From that point, I maintain that friendship through cyberspace.

I think that relationships that are initiated through cyberspace differ to those that develop face to face in several ways. People who communicate through computer mediated technology are able to potray themselves in different ways. One who is shy in person can be very outgoing on the internet. Some may see this as decieving, but I personally feel that are connecting with someone in a different way.

I actually did a paper once on the effects of technology on romantic relationships. I found a lot of articles on self-disclosure and intimacy. A study showed that relationships developed online included people more willing to share intimate disclosure on a quicker basis that face to face communication.

I can see this happening. For me, I can articulate better when I write and if you think about it, when you send someone a message through email, you don't get their feedback right away. You can think about a very good response if you are fighting for example. I think this is the say for text messaging as well.

Other than that, face to face communication is different from cyberspace communication because nonverbal cues are not present. Sarcasm and other types of humor are almost undetectable.