Scholars of computer-mediated communication have long been interested in the way in which interpersonal impressions form among computer users. Early Internet research explored how people used text-based social information to form impressions of others.However, sociotechnological systems now allow users to present themselves in a variety of forms. The first study found that when textual and photographic cues were presented alone, the principle of textual primacy predicted results; however, Study 2 found when cues were presented together in the context of a Facebook profile, the data were consistent with a visual primacy-negativity perspective such that photographs more strongly influenced judgments of social orientation, and textual cues influenced social orientation judgments when accompanied by an introverted photograph.

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An original experiment explored the differing predictions of the Proteus effect (Yee & Bailenson) and behavioral compensation processes (Bond) in dyadic computer-mediated interaction. The experiment randomly assigned male dyad members to see an attractive, unattractive, or no avatar representation of his female partner, while female dyad members were assigned to see either attractive, unattractive, or no avatar representation of themselves. Results supported the hypothesized behavioral compensation effect such that both partner and naïve observer reports of relational communication suggested that females who saw unattractive avatars of themselves behaved more positively toward their partners than those who saw no avatar or saw an attractive avatar. These results, their theoretical implications, and future directions are discussed.