Cyberspace Romance: The Psychology of Online Relationships

Address questions such as how do people play at love in cyberspace? How are these relationships different and similar to the way individuals initiate, develop and maintain offline relationships? This book is aimed at those studying or conducting research on Internet relationships or interested in their own or others online romances. How do people play at love in cyberspace? How are these relationships different and similar to the way individuals initiate, develop and maintain offline relationships? Monica Whitty and Adrian N. Carr address each of these questions and argue that cyberspace should not be perceived as a conglomeration of bodiless selves. In this book, cyberspace is depicted as a potentially more playful space than the offline world. Nonetheless, despite the liberating qualities cyberspace has to offer, cyberspace can be problematic for some - especially when individuals venture too far into the realms of fantasy. Through examples of Whittys own research on cyber-relationships, online dating, Internet infidelity, cyber-harassment, and presentation of self online, as well as drawing from other peoples research, the positive and negative aspects of online relating are presented. Cyberspace Romance is an invaluable resource for anyone studying or conducting research on Internet relationships or interested in their own or others online romances.