Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Interpersonal computer-mediated communication (CMC) research has been overly reliant on zero-history and artificial CMC and face-to-face (FtF) only groups to explore impression formation and relationship development. However, practical experience demonstrates that many individuals successfully transition their relationships—especially platonic same-sex friendships—across multiple channels. The purpose of the current study is to test a new theory of Electronic Functional Propinquity (EFP) which explains how closeness (propinquity) is maintained in same-sex platonic friendships when the relationship is migrated from FtF-to-CMC. Memory is introduced as a construct in the model to illustrate how shared relational memories, both real (lingering physical or LPM) and imagined (fictive physical or FPM) interacts with traditional relational maintenance strategies to sustain online interpersonal closeness. While choice of relational maintenance strategies varied as a function of both gender and friendship type, results indicate that specific components in the Theory of Electronic Functional Propinquity are able to predict 62% of the variance in post-migrated CMC closeness for male same-sex platonic friendships and 76% of the variance for female same-sex platonic friendships.