They share thoughts and feelings as opposed to the interpersonal level
The above image is familiar to many women. Many men find it difficult to express what they feel, or to confide their deeper thoughts and emotions to their significant other.
But the social media space provides a safe haven for them to vent their feelings that they might not otherwise feel comfortable expressing.
Of course, this can have both positive and negative aspects in a relationship, writes Alexandra Sifferlin in Time.
Women may have a new way to "get inside the minds" of their partners, but how can one feel intimacy through a few social media posts... which one shares with hundreds (or even thousands) of "followers"?
Women are more likely to use social media (71%) than men (62%), according to the latest report from the Women's Media Center.
Psychologists and researchers, however, find it extremely interesting that although women seem to be able to express themselves both in their interpersonal relationships and in the online world, the same is not true for men.
Eva Buechel, a doctoral candidate at the University of Miami who has studied this phenomenon, found that men and women who experience social anxiety—and therefore have more difficulty expressing their emotions and need support—are equally likely to maintain a personal blog or social media account.
According to her, introverted characters seem to find it easier to share their thoughts online than in their interpersonal relationships with others.
Another study, from Northwestern University, shows that men are more likely to share their creative work (written words, music, some kind of art) online. Nearly two-thirds of men, according to a 2008 survey, reported publishing their work online, while for women the figure is about 50%.
"Women typically maintain close friendships, which makes it easier for them to reach out to a friend when they need someone to talk to. Men maintain different types of friendships and may have a harder time turning to someone when they need comfort or just want to talk," Buechel said.
These dynamics that develop in friendships between men and women may explain why the former are more hesitant to open up in their interpersonal relationships, rather than online ones.
"When a man sends a text message, or email, etc., he feels less threatened and is more likely to share thoughts and feelings, precisely because he doesn't have to deal with the other person's reaction, as happens in interpersonal relationships," explained psychologist Seth Meyers.
"The internet offers men the illusion of security, although this can then raise questions in their partner, who will wonder why he can 'open up' to the internet, but not to her," he added.
It's well known that men and women operate completely differently. So perhaps the ideal "communication balance" for couples lies somewhere in the middle... between real life and online.
