matters negotiable

The following is my research proposal.  Any suggestions will be helpful.

Running head:  SOCIAL PENETRATION THEORY IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Social Penetration Theory in the Digital Age:  A Combined Quantitative & Qualitative Methodology

 

Jeramiah Maynard

UW-Whitewater Spring 2010

Communication 704

Dr. Wachanga

02/17/10

 

Abstract

The explosion in use of emerging online social networking technologies is undeniable, and some argue that these technologies are altering the fundamental nature of relationship formation.  The overarching purpose of the current study is to examine the validity of such revolutionary claims.  Working from a Social Penetration Theory perspective, with a classic experimental model, the current study first seeks to describe the role and importance of disclosure in computer-mediated relationship formation.  Then, relying on the qualitative technique of narrative inquiry, this research hopes to shine light on the ways, if any, that relationships are changing in the digital age.

Introduction

The explosion in use of emerging online social networking technologies is undeniable.  What began as a tool for niche and sub-culture communication has transitioned into the mainstream.  Especially for younger age brackets, but growing rapidly in other ranges as well, research repeatedly reveals high usage rates of online social networking technologies within study samples (Bargh & McKenna, 2004).  Arguably the most successful of these technologies, Facebook, has a current membership count of more than 60 million, with expectations of many more (Facebook, 2010).  Some argue that as social communication continues migrating away from traditional channels and toward emerging online networking technologies, the fundamental nature of relationships and process of relationship formation both may also be undergoing a transformation (Ellison, Steinfield, & Lampe, 2007).

The overarching purpose of the current study is to examine the validity of such revolutionary claims.  Specifically, the investigation will occur in two phases.  First, operating from the rules-based Social Penetration Theory (SPT) perspective, while employing a classic experimental model to generate quantitative data, the current study intends to describe the role and importance of disclosure in computer-mediated relationship formation.  Second, relying on the qualitative technique of narrative inquiry, this research hopes to shine light on the ways, if any, that relationships are changing in the digital age.

Literature Review

SPT asserts that interpersonal relationships progress from superficiality toward intimacy via a systematic and predictable process wherein self-disclosure functions as a primary catalyst toward intimacy (Altman & Taylor, 1973).  Furthermore, existing research supports the idea of reciprocity, such that self-disclosures in communication exchanges are likely to produce openness in others, and subsequently increase the probability for relationship formation (Rubin, Rubin, & Martin, 1993).  Thus, the initial study hypothesis:

H1:  Level of disclosure contained in a communication exchange will be directly related to the number of relationships formed as a result of the exchange.

Additionally, when compared with males, existing research suggests a greater level of reciprocity induced by female disclosures in communication exchanges (Snell, Hampton, & McManus, 1992), leading to a second one-tailed hypothesis:

H2:  When the level of disclosure is equal, communications originating from a source perceived as female will result in a higher rate of relationship formation than will communications originating from a source perceived as male.

Two distinct types of disclosure, however, are possible within computer-mediated environments.  Users of online social networking technologies may append pictures of themselves to profiles (visual disclosures), as well as provide personal information (demographic disclosures).  SPT was originally conceptualized to address disclosures occurring as part of face-to-face interactions, not accounting for the discretionary nature of visual disclosures seen in computer-mediated environments.  In order to improve the utility of SPT in a digital age, data from the first phase of the current study will inform the following research question:

RQ1:  Do visual disclosures (VD) and demographic disclosures (DD) differ in the amount of reciprocity they induce in communication exchanges?

While extremely powerful for dealing with matters of causality, unfortunately, the classic experimental model is of only limited use when exploring the complexity of human communication exchanges.  For investigations of this type, the qualitative technique of narrative inquiry is far better suited.  It is with narrative inquiry, then, that the following broadly constructed research questions are to be addressed:

RQ2:  Are online identities becoming an integral and necessary component of modern interpersonal relationships?

RQ3:  What are the rules / expectations / etiquette for disclosures in online social networking interactions?  Particularly, do the rules / expectations / etiquette for computer-mediated disclosures differ from that of face-to-face interactions, and if so, how?

Methodology

Variables

Three independent variables occurring at two levels each are manipulated in the experimental phase of this research.  The independent variables are perceived communication source sex (M / F), VD (Y / N), and DD (Y/ N).  For the current study, VD is operationalized as appending a personal photograph to a profile, and DD is operationalized as including personal information in a profile.  Combining the three independent variables produces eight distinct experimental conditions:  1 = M + no VD + no DD, 2 = M + VD + no DD, 3 = M + no VD + DD, 4 = M + VD + DD, 5 = F + no VD + no DD, 6 = F + VD + no DD, 7 = F + no VD + DD, 8 = F + VD + DD.

Relationship formation is the lone dependent variable in the experimental phase of this research.  For the current study, successful relationship formation is operationalized as the acceptance of a friend request, and unsuccessful relationship formation is operationalized the opposite way.

Experiment Design

Eight Facebook profiles are to be created in accordance with the eight experimental conditions.  To control for bias, a single photograph is to be used in all four of the male conditions, and a single photograph is to be used in all four of the female conditions.  Similarly, identical personal information will be used in all eight conditions, regardless of perceived communication source sex, consistent with level of disclosure described by each condition.

Fifty friend requests will then be sent from each profile.  Again to control for bias, the friend requests will be sent to discrete, randomly selected members of the same to be determined general interest Facebook group.

Structured Interview

Participants for the narrative inquiry portion of the current study will be snowball-sampled, targeting heavy Facebook users, beginning with a member of the researcher’s own social network.  In keeping with the less rigid nature of qualitative research, the number of structured interviews to be conducted will depend on the quality of data obtained, but will likely not exceed five.

Similarly, the questions to be asked of participants during the interviews are not entirely formalized.  RQ2 and RQ3, or versions thereof, will definitely be a part of the interview process, but responses those questions generate will likely lead in as yet unseen directions.  Instructor and classmate input on the D2L blog will be used to obtain a better idea of what those directions might be prior to conducting interviews.

With participants’ permission, each interview will be recorded.  In order to retain the contextual sense of the interviews, recordings will be transcribed immediately following the interviews.

Results

Quantitative Data

Data obtained from the Facebook experiment will be entered into SPSS and analyzed accordingly.  H1 and H2 will be addressed with the results.  The expectation is for a strong, positive correlation between level of disclosure and successful relationship formation overall, but at a relatively higher rate for the female conditions.  Additionally, SPSS comparisons between conditions 2 and 3, and conditions 6 and 7 will inform RQ1.

Qualitative Data

Structured interviews will be transcribed verbatim.  A comparative analysis will then be conducted, and commonalities in the areas described by RQ2 and RQ3 will be explored.

References

 

Altman, I. & Taylor, D. A.  (1973).  Social penetration: The development of

interpersonal relationships.  England: Oxford.

Bargh, J., & McKenna, K.  (2004).  The Internet and social life.  Annual Review of

Psychology, 55(1), 573–590.

Ellison, Nicole B., Steinfield, C., & Lampe, C.  (2007).  The benefits of facebook

“friends”: Social capital and college students’ use of online social network sites.  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12, 1143-1168.

Facebook.  (2010).  Statistics.  Retrieved February 16, 2010 from

http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics

Rubin, R. B., Rubin A. M., & Martin M. M.  (1993).  The role of self-disclosure and self-

awareness in affinity-seeking competence.  Communication Research Reports, 10(2), 115-127.

Snell, W. E., Hampton, B. R., & McManus, P.  (1992).  The impact of counselor and

participant gender on willingness to discuss relational topics: Development of the relationship disclosure scale.  Journal of Counseling & Development, 70, 409-416.

Filed by Jeramiah Maynard at 4:50 pm under Uncategorized
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