Social Information Processing (theory) - Hyperpersonal Model

Hyperpersonal Model

According to the hyperpersonal model, it is possible to obtain more intimate relationships over CMC than face-to-face communication. Walther argues for this through four media effects that rely on distance between those communicating: selective self-presentation of the sender, over attribution of similarity of the receiver, an asynchronous channel and the self-fulfilling feedback prophecy:

1. Sender- Selective-Presentation: People who meet online have a better opportunity to make a favorable impression on the other. This is because the communicators can decide which information they would like to share about themselves, giving them the power to disclose only their good traits. Selective-Presentation is not as likely to occur in FtF communication due to the other’s ability to notice all the obvious traits in person.
2. Receiver- Over-attribution of Similarity: In the absence of FtF contextual cues, the likelihood of over-attributing given information of the sender is increased, often creating an idealized image of the message sender. This is also known as social-identity-deindividuation (or SIDE). Described by Martin Lea and Russell Spears, SIDE develops when a CMC relationship develops over an "exaggerated sense of similarity and group solidarity" in the absence of "contrasting" cues. This is especially true when parties meet through an online support group. These members seem to agree, encourage and offer advice to the other party which makes the user feel they have more in common. Over-attribution is also found in online dating. While reading a perspective date’s profile, the reader is likely to see themselves as similar to one another and therefore become more interested in them than they originally would have been.
3. Channel- Communication on Your Own Time Asynchronous channel: As CMC is an asynchronous channel of communication, communication messages do not have to be sent simultaneously, allowing a sender to edit messages more than in face to face communication. CMC users are free to write person-centered messages, knowing that the recipient will read the message at a convenient time. This is a big plus, especially when communicating across time zones or for people whose waking hours are out of sync.This also helps with multitasking and privacy. CMC users are able to communicate and perform other tasks at the same time. This is not as easy in FtF communication. As for privacy goes, taking part in CMC helps you limit the number of people that would hear the information as compared to FtF communication in a public setting.
4. Feedback- Self-fulfilling prophecy: A self-fulfilling prophecy is the, "tendency for a person’s expectation of others to evoke a response from them that confirms what was anticipated." This process creates hyperpersonal relationships only if CMC parties first form highly favorable impressions of each other. An example of this is if you think that someone is a polite person, you will treat them with respect and they, in return, will be polite to you. Thus, fulfilling the expectations that you originally held for them.