Social Information Processing Theory
1. SIP proposes that CMC conveys relational information just as well as face-to-
face communication, with only one difference. What is that difference?
2. Recall a time when you felt particularly drawn to another person when com-
municating through email, Facebook, or some other type of CMC. Why did you
feel drawn to this person? Does the presence (or absence) of verbal cues or
extended time explain your attraction?
3. The hyperpersonal perspective suggests that CMC effects of sender, receiver, chan-
nel, and feedback promote greater intimacy. Which factor do you think has the
greatest relational impact? Which has the least?
4. Your online partner seems wonderful—but, because it’s possible to create a
ictitious persona through CMC, you want to make sure he or she is “for real.”
How would you ind out? What might the warranting principle suggest you do
to get trustworthy information?
