How to satisfy our needs to interact online at different levels of intimacy? A study of communication in virtual communities

Authors

  • Mariana Santiago de Matos-Silva PUC-Rio
  • Rosane de Albuquerque dos Santos Abreu PUC-Rio e Fiocruz/Farmanguinhos
  • Ana Maria Nicolaci-da-Costa PUC-Rio

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5380/psi.v16i2.24662

Keywords:

virtual communities, social networks, internet, intimacy

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the current use of the so-called virtual communities. Members of some communities were interviewed. It became clear that, in these communities, it often happened that strangers met people with whom they wanted to be friends. The environments of the communities investigated, however, did not offer means for deepening these relationships, because they did not make available spaces or tools that would allow few or even just two people to interact intimately. For this reason, when they wanted to get closer to other members, the participants of these virtual communities turned to complementary environments such as MSN and Skype.

Keywords: virtual communities; social networks; internet; intimacy. 

Author Biographies

Mariana Santiago de Matos-Silva, PUC-Rio

Doutora em Psicologia Clínica pela PUC-Rio. Pesquisadora do Núcleo de Estudos sobre Tecnologia e Subjetividade (PUC-RIO). Estagiária de pós-doutorado na PUC-Rio e bolsista de pós-doutorado júnior do CNPq.

Rosane de Albuquerque dos Santos Abreu, PUC-Rio e Fiocruz/Farmanguinhos

Doutora em Psicologia Clínica pela Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro. Coordenadora da Divisão do Conhecimento e coordenadora interina da Divisão do Sistema nacional das RedesFito do Núcleo de Gestão em Biodiversidade e Saúde (NGBS - Farmanguinhos/FIOCRUZ). 

Ana Maria Nicolaci-da-Costa, PUC-Rio

PhD em Psicologia pela Universidade de Londres, Londres - Inglaterra. Professora do Departamento de Psicologia da Pontifícia Universidade católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ - Brasil. coordenadora do Núcleo de Estudos sobre Tecnologia e Subjetividade do Departamento de Psicologia da Pontifícia Universidade católica do Rio de Janeiro. 

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How to Cite

Matos-Silva, M. S. de, Abreu, R. de A. dos S., & Nicolaci-da-Costa, A. M. (2012). How to satisfy our needs to interact online at different levels of intimacy? A study of communication in virtual communities. Interação Em Psicologia, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.5380/psi.v16i2.24662

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 2 (2012)

Section

Research Reports

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