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IB DP Psychology — Human Relationships (Technology) | SL & HL | Paper 2
🎯 Learning Intentions By the end of this note, you will be able to:
- Define computer-mediated communication (CMC), the hyperpersonal model, and social capital using IB-aligned terminology.
- Explain how technology shapes the formation, maintenance, and quality of interpersonal relationships.
- Describe the role of anonymity and reduced cues in online communication and how these alter self-presentation.
- Evaluate research evidence on the effects of technology on relationships using supporting and opposing studies in ACAS format.
- Apply concepts such as the hyperpersonal model and social capital to a real-world case study from the sociocultural perspective.
- Discuss the extent to which technology enhances or undermines the quality of interpersonal relationships.
- Analyse research on technology and relationships using relevant concept areas: Bias, Causality, Perspective, and Responsibility.
Introduction & Context
Think about the last meaningful conversation you had. Was it face-to-face, or did it happen through a screen? For many people today, some of their closest friendships are maintained almost entirely through messaging apps, video calls, or social media. A person might share their deepest worries with someone they have never physically met, or feel more understood by an online community than by people in their immediate environment. This raises a genuinely fascinating psychological question: does the medium through which we communicate change the nature of the relationship itself?
Psychologists have been exploring this question since the early days of the internet, and the answers are far more nuanced than popular opinion suggests. Technology is neither simply a threat to authentic human connection nor a perfect substitute for face-to-face interaction. The reality depends on who is using it, how they are using it, and what psychological needs they bring to the interaction. Understanding this requires us to examine several key concepts about how online environments change the way people present themselves, form impressions, and build social bonds.
🔍 Analogy Imagine writing a letter to someone you admire. You have time to choose every word carefully, re-read your sentences, and present the most thoughtful version of yourself. Now imagine saying the same things spontaneously in person — the result would be different. Online communication often works like that letter: it gives people control over self-presentation in ways that face-to-face interaction does not. This control can lead to deeper intimacy, but it can also lead to idealised, unrealistic impressions of others.
Core Concepts
When two people communicate in person, they exchange an enormous amount of information beyond words: facial expressions, tone of voice, posture, eye contact, and physical proximity all shape how messages are interpreted. Now consider what happens when that same conversation moves to a text message. Most of those cues disappear. Psychologists call this a reduction in social cues, and it fundamentally changes the dynamics of communication. The question is: does losing those cues make communication worse, or does it simply make it different?
📖 Key Definition — Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) Computer-mediated communication (CMC) refers to any form of human communication that occurs through the use of digital technology, including text messages, emails, social media platforms, video calls, and online forums. CMC can be synchronous (occurring in real time, such as a video call) or asynchronous