- Title
- Exploring self concept and social identities in the context of online intimate relationships
- Creator
- Van Staden, Phillip
- Subject
- Self
- Subject
- Group identity
- Subject
- Online dating
- Date Issued
- 2010
- Date
- 2010
- Type
- Thesis
- Type
- Masters
- Type
- MA
- Identifier
- vital:9881
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1276
- Identifier
- Self
- Identifier
- Group identity
- Identifier
- Online dating
- Description
- Many South Africans are developing online relationships. Due to the anonymous and artificial context of the online environment it is possible that a person’s identity differs within the on- and offline environment. Sternberg’s (1986) Triangular Model of Love as well as Rogers’ Self Theory (1951) were utilized as a theoretical base for investigating online identity and intimacy. Using a qualitative, exploratory design, the study explored this phenomenon by analysing open ended questionnaires administered online to people in intimate online relationships. Participants were selected by means of non-probability snowball sampling. The findings indicated that Internet socialisers vary in their experience of their online identities. Individuals may have a multitude of genuine online selves, each one represented differently depending on the anonymity and level of intimacy in the relationship. Selfdisclosure and deception play an important role in identity representation and exploration and both are experienced as being affected by the online context.
- Format
- xii, 115 leaves ; 30 cm
- Format
- Publisher
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
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NMMU School of Behavioural Sciences
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