The development of imagined interactions in online text-based initial interactions

ABSTRACT

Many individuals meet romantic partners, friends, and coworkers online before meeting in person. This study investigates the development of online-first partner perceptions, utilizing the imagined interactions framework to test the specificity, frequency, and proactivity of cognitions about an online-first meeting. Individuals chatted with a new partner in a lab. Their cognitions about the partner were measured two days later. Results show that individuals engaged in specific and frequent imagined interactions based on how similar they perceived their partner to be. In turn, specific imagined interactions increased idealization of one’s partner over time.

KEYWORDS:

• Hyperpersonal model
• imagined interactions
• longitudinal study
• online first

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/08824096.2024.2318047.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kathryn D. Coduto

Kathryn D. Coduto (Ph.D., Ohio State University) is an assistant professor of media science in the College of Communication at Boston University. Her research investigates intersections of interpersonal communication and computer-mediated communication.