Internet relationships are interpersonal relationship

Interpersonal relationship

An interpersonal relationship is an association between two or more people that may range from fleeting to enduring. This association may be based on limerence, love, solidarity, regular business interactions, or some other type of social commitment. Interpersonal relationships are formed in the...

s, including intimate relationship

Intimate relationship

An intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship that involves physical or emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy is characterized by romantic or passionate love and attachment, or sexual activity. The term is also sometimes used euphemistically for a sexual...

s, between people who have met online

ONLINE

ONLINE is a magazine for information systems first published in 1977. The publisher Online, Inc. was founded the year before. In May 2002, Information Today, Inc. acquired the assets of Online Inc....

, and in many cases know each other only via the Internet

Internet

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...

. Online relationships are similar in many ways to pen pal

Pen pal

Pen pals are people who regularly write to each other, particularly via postal mail.-Purposes:A penpal relationship is often used to practice reading and writing in a foreign language, to improve literacy, to learn more about other countries and life-styles, and to make friendships...

 relationships.

In the late 20th century, it became easier for people to establish meaningful online relationships. Since the development of high-speed broadband Internet

Broadband Internet access

Broadband Internet access, often shortened to just "broadband", is a high data rate, low-latency connection to the Internet— typically contrasted with dial-up access using a 56 kbit/s modem or satellite Internet with inherently high latency....

, online friendships have changed significantly. It is possible to hold real-time audio and video conversations over the Internet (creating telepresence

Telepresence

Telepresence refers to a set of technologies which allow a person to feel as if they were present, to give the appearance of being present, or to have an effect, via telerobotics, at a place other than their true location....

), providing levels of interactivity beyond plain text

Plain text

In computing, plain text is the contents of an ordinary sequential file readable as textual material without much processing, usually opposed to formatted text....

. People who are in an online relationship can also participate in cybersex

Cybersex

Cybersex, also called computer sex, Internet sex, netsex, mudsex, TinySex and, colloquially, cybering, is a virtual sex encounter in which two or more persons connected remotely via computer network send each other sexually explicit messages describing a sexual experience...

, which is a virtual sex encounter in which two or more persons connected remotely via computer network send each other sexually explicit messages describing a sexual experience.

Psychologists in at least one study found that Internet dating can be successful.

Further reading

• Dwyer, Diana (2000) Interpersonal Relationships (Routledge Modular Psychology)
• Englehardt, E.E. (2001), Ethical Issues in Interpersonal Communication: Friends, Intimates, Sexuality, Marriage, and Family, Hartcourt College Publishers, Fort Worth, TX,
• Schnarch, D. (1997). Sex, intimacy, and the internet. Journal of Sex Education, 22(1), 15–20.