A field study is reported in which friendships were sampled at 1 month, 4 months and 12 months duration. Friendship variables were measured at each time-point using the Acquaintance Description Form (ADF), and the degree of value similarity was also assessed. Scores on 8 ADF variables were regressed on common similarity (that was easy to find in others) and uncommon similarity (that was not usually shared with others). Common similarity correlated significantly with liking and voluntarily ... Continue Reading
Visibility and anonymity effects on attraction and group cohesiveness
Lea, M., Spears, R., & Watt, S.E. (2007). Visibility and anonymity effects on attraction and group cohesiveness. European Journal of Social Psychology, 37, 761-773.
This study investigated attraction and group cohesiveness under different visibility and anonymity conditions for social categories that differed in their capacity to be visually cued. Using computer-mediated communication in 36 mixed gender (visually cued category) and nationality (non-visually cued category) groups, we manipulated social category salience (via discussion topic), and anonymity vs. visibility (via live video links). Under high salience, the effects of anonymity versus visibility ... Continue Reading
Paralanguage and social perception in computer-mediated communication
Lea, M. & Spears, R. (1992). Paralanguage and social perception in computer-mediated communication. Journal of Organizational Computing, 2, 321-342.
It is widely held that computer-mediated communication (CMC) filters out many of the social and affective cues associated with human interaction with consequent effects on communication outcomes and the medium's suitability for interpersonal tasks. The relationship between paralanguage and social perception in CMC in different social contexts in investigated in two experiments. In Study 1 it was hypothesized that there would be significant differences in subjects' perceptions of anonymous ... Continue Reading
Breakdown of personal relationships and the threat to personal identity
Duck, S. & Lea, M. (1983). Breakdown of personal relationships and the threat to personal identity. In G. Breakwell (Ed.) Threatened Identities (pp. 53–73). Chichester: Wiley.
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Love at first byte: Building personal relationships over computer networks
Lea, M. & Spears, R. (1995). Love at first byte? Building personal relationships over computer networks. In J. T. Wood & S. Duck (Eds.). Under-Studied Relationships: Off the Beaten Track (pp. 197–233). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Our discussion of personal relationships and computer networks focuses on three issues of central concern in this volume. The first issue is to do with how relationship research currently privileges certain kinds of relationships while neglecting others. We describe relationships that have been observed in this new medium and identify a number of assumptions and biases underlying much social psychological theorizing that are common to both relationship research and media analyses. These ... Continue Reading