Abstract

DIAS, Ana Cristina Garcia  and  TEIXEIRA, Marco Antônio Pereira. Self-disclosure in the Internet: a study with university students. Aletheia [online]. 2008, n.27, pp. 23-35. ISSN 1413-0394.

The aim of this study was to compare undergraduates’ intent to self-disclose in face to face (FtF) and virtual environments (chatrooms). A questionnaire covering six areas of self-disclosure was applied to 180 university students aged between 18 and 36 years (56,1% women). Participants were asked to evaluate their intent to self-disclose in the following situations: FtF with a female friend, FtF with a male friend, to an unknown female in a chatroom, and to an unknown male in a chatroom. Intent to self-disclose was higher for the FtF context than for the virtual context, in all six areas. Some gender differences were observed. Results suggest that gender stereotypes tend to be reproduced in virtual relationships, and that chatrooms are considered a context less favorable to self-disclosure than the FtF context.

Keywords : Self-disclosure; Internet; Communication.

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