The hyperpersonal model explains why people can form strong relationships and impressions online, sometimes even stronger than in face-to-face situations. It focuses on how computer-mediated communication shapes the way people share information and connect with others.
This model was developed by communications researcher Joseph Walther in 1996 to explain why people sometimes experience deeper relationships when they communicate using the internet compared to in-person settings.
The hyperpersonal model (HPM) suggests that the online environment lets people carefully edit what they say and show. People can take more time to craft messages, leading to more thoughtful or appealing communication. They also receive and interpret messages without the distractions of in-person cues.
Four main elements shape hyperpersonal communication:
- Sender control: Individuals manage their image more easily.
- Receiver interpretation: People tend to idealize communication partners.
- Channel effects: Text-based channels slow down exchanges, making each message feel more meaningful.
- Feedback loops: Positive impressions are reinforced through ongoing interaction.
These processes can lead to stronger interpersonal communication and sometimes more intimacy than face-to-face talks.
Traditional communication models rely heavily on nonverbal cues, body language, and spontaneous responses. By contrast, the hyperpersonal model centers on digital interactions, where nonverbal signals are limited or missing altogether.
Unlike early computer-mediated communication theories, which saw online talk as impersonal or lacking richness, the hyperpersonal model suggests that people can use these limits to their advantage. It explains why online interactions can sometimes surpass face-to-face talks in perceived closeness and understanding.
Other models, such as the social presence theory or the cues-filtered-out approach, focus on what is missing in digital communication. HPM instead highlights the unique strengths of computer-mediated communication in building relationships and managing impressions.
Key Components and Mechanisms
The model explains how people use computer-mediated communication (CMC) in specific ways that shape relationships and impressions. It focuses on how message senders present themselves, how others perceive them, and how features of the online environment can change the flow of interactions.
Selective Self-Presentation
In CMC, selective self-presentation allows individuals to highlight positive aspects about themselves and control what information is shared. Message senders can carefully choose their words, select flattering images, and edit their messages before sending. This is different from face-to-face communication, where responses often happen in real time.
People often use asynchronous communication, like email or messaging, to refine their self-presentation, which can lead to more thoughtful and polished introductions. Research has shown that these controlled exchanges can make communication partners see each other in an especially favorable light.
The ability to plan responses and hide flaws leads to profiles that look more attractive or competent than they might appear offline.
Idealization
Idealization happens when a communication partner forms an unrealistically positive impression of the message sender. This is common in CMC because cues about mood, appearance, or flaws are often limited. Without audio or visual signals, gaps in information are filled with assumptions, usually leaning toward a favorable view.
When people only see edited photos, carefully worded texts, or select facts shared by the other party, it becomes easier to believe the sender matches those ideal qualities. Studies show that this process can make relationships in online settings sometimes seem deeper or more meaningful than those that start face-to-face. The link between disclosure and intimacy can be especially strong in this process.
Channel Effects in CMC
Different features of online channels support the hyperpersonal model in specific ways. Asynchronous communication lets users take their time to write, edit, and polish messages, while text-based channels can hide nonverbal signals like nervousness or hesitation. This can help maintain a more positive or controlled self-presentation.
Synchronous channels, such as live chat, might limit some control, but they also remove awkward pauses or negative cues seen in video or face-to-face interactions. These effects can amplify favorable impressions, as both message senders and communication partners adjust to the unique environment of CMC. Features of these channels can support the mechanisms of selective self-presentation and idealization.
Feedback and Intensification Loop
Feedback in computer-mediated communication (CMC) is a key driver in how people interact and form impressions. It happens when a person responds to a message, and their response then shapes how the sender behaves in future interactions. These responses can be intentional or unintentional, such as a quick reply, an emoji, or even silence.
In online settings, feedback is often more visible and immediate. It can lead to ongoing cycles where senders adjust their communication based on reactions. This pattern can intensify the feelings or judgments shared between communicators.
Behavioral Confirmation
Behavioral confirmation refers to the process where a person’s beliefs or expectations about someone else influence how that person actually behaves. In hyperpersonal communication, this means if one expects a certain behavior, their responses can encourage the other person to act in that way.
For instance, positive feedback encourages someone to continue being friendly or open. Negative reactions may have the opposite effect. When communicating online, people have more time to craft responses, which can strengthen these patterns.
Receivers are not just passive. Their interpretations and reactions can make initial impressions even stronger. This feedback loop creates a cycle that reinforces both positive and negative traits.
Intensification Loop
The intensification loop is a process where feedback and responses become stronger with each exchange. In the hyperpersonal model, as people interact online, each person’s feedback amplifies the other’s behavior or emotional reaction. This can lead to more intense feelings or exaggerated impressions than what might form in person.
As an example, repeated positive feedback makes users feel more liked or valued, while negative feedback may be felt more strongly due to the lack of nonverbal cues. The feedback system in CMC can increase the intensity of both positive and negative exchanges.
Sometimes, people become caught in cycles of expectation and confirmation. The loop persists until the pattern is either broken or further intensified. This process makes online interactions distinct from face-to-face communication.
Mediating Factors in Hyperpersonal Communication
Media richness describes how well a communication medium can carry information. Richer media, like videoconferencing or virtual reality, provide more cues such as tone of voice, facial expressions, and gestures. These extra cues make conversations feel closer to face-to-face interaction.
Text-based computer-mediated communication (CMC) has less richness. With fewer social cues, people may overestimate positive traits or fill gaps with their own ideas about the person they are talking to. This can lead to highly positive impressions,
The richer the channel, the less likely the communication will be distorted by missing cues.
Asynchronous vs. Synchronous Communication
Asynchronous communication happens when people do not interact in real time. Examples include email and online forums. Asynchronous channels allow time to edit messages, reflect, and present oneself carefully. This can lead to carefully managed impressions.
Synchronous communication occurs in real time, like video calls, instant messaging, and voice chat. There is less time to craft and edit responses. This immediacy can bring interactions closer to in-person conversations but may limit control over self-presentation.
The hyperpersonal model suggests that asynchronous communication makes it easier to manage impressions and relationships. People often share more, and trust can grow quickly because messages seem more thoughtful. However, media richness still matters—richer media may reduce misunderstandings and help build real connections.
Interpersonal Dynamics and Individual Differences
Impression management refers to how individuals control or influence the image they present to others during online interactions. In CMC, people can carefully edit messages, take time to think of replies, and choose what personal details to share. This lets them manage how others see them, which can lead to stronger, more positive impressions.
Impression formation, on the other hand, is how receivers interpret these messages and the sender’s persona. Research suggests that CMC can lead to intensified impressions because of a lack of nonverbal cues and the tendency to fill in gaps with idealized views of others. HPM claims that these carefully managed interactions may cause online relationships to feel more intimate than those offline.
Social Anxiety in CMC
Social anxiety describes the discomfort some people feel when interacting with others. In CMC, the feeling of being watched or judged can be less intense, since people can take time to respond and are not seen directly. This can make online interaction more comfortable for those with high social anxiety.
However, CMC is also characterized by disentrained communication, which means that people are not responding in real time. This can help anxious individuals because slower, text-based exchanges reduce immediate social pressure.
Studies have shown that people with higher social anxiety may prefer online communication and sometimes disclose more than they would in person. For example, they may find it easier to share personal information, which can actually deepen closeness in relationships formed online.
References:
Carlson, John R.; Zmud, Robert W. (1999). Channel Expansion Theory and the Experiential Nature of Media Richness Perceptions. Academy of Management Journal. 42 (2): 153–170. doi:10.5465/257090
High, Andrew C.; Caplan, Scott E. (2009) Social anxiety and computer-mediated communication during initial interactions: Implications for the hyperpersonal perspective. Computers in Human Behavior. 25 (2): 475–482. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2008.10.011
L. Crystal Jiang, Natalie N. Bazarova, Jeffrey T. Hancock (2011) The Disclosure–Intimacy Link in Computer-Mediated Communication: An Attributional Extension of the Hyperpersonal Model. Human Communication Research, Volume 37, Issue 1, Pages 58–77, doi:10.1111/j.1468-2958.2010.01393.x
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