Chapter 10: Social Information Processing Theory

Social Information Processing Theory largely deals with the concept of online relationships, and how people interact with each other via computer-mediated communication. It discusses how people gather information about someone they are meeting for the first time. In person, people use nonverbal cues, like appearance, how a person carries him or herself, and his or her facial expressions. However, when interacting online, nonverbal cues are not present, as we cannot see the person we are interacting with. Because of this, people seek information they might otherwise get nonverbally through verbal means.

A debate that this theory raises is whether or not relationships that develop online are the same as relationships that develop in person, and there are arguments for both sides. I believe that this issue should be looked at on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature of the relationship in question and what the people involved expect from the relationship. It is possible that two people might develop a friendship by playing online games together, but might also wish to keep the relationship in that context and not meet in person. At the same time, two people might meet online and develop a more intimate relationship, which would lead to them wanting to meet. In both instances, the relationship is "real", even if these two example relationships exist on different levels. I don't believe that there is a concrete rule that can be applied to these situations, and that they should be examined and judged on their own.