Toward a Theoretical Framework of Relational Maintenance in Computer-Mediated Communication

Abstract

This article addresses the need for theoretical frameworks from which to advance the study of interpersonal relational maintenance in computer-mediated communication (CMC). We suggest one way to satisfy this need is to extend and adapt extant theories of offline relational maintenance to mediated interactions by addressing how CMC is likely integrated to sustain the underlying processes of human interaction in newer channels. Social penetration theory (SPT) is used to illustrate the process proposed. The building blocks of SPT—self-disclosure, reciprocal exchange, and the effect of environmental and situational contexts on interpersonal interactions—are still considered vital in sustaining relationships, even online. By considering how these components are affected by the idiosyncrasies of computer mediation, this work provides a path toward consistent, theoretically-driven research regarding the maintenance of relationships via CMC, and also exemplifies how scholars may forge additional avenues for such research.