Cover -- Half-title -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- 1 The seductive space -- The interactive revolution in imagination -- Cyberlove and cybersex -- Letter, telegraph, and telephone -- Mobile texting -- The egalitarian space -- The lure of the Net -- The risky space -- Summary -- 2 The paradoxical nature of online relationships -- Detached attachment -- Distance and immediacy -- Lean and rich communication -- Anonymity and self-disclosure -- (a) Greater anonymity and reduced vulnerability -- (b) Lack of "gating features" -- (c) Lack of other means to know each other -- (d) Greater ease in finding similar others -- Sincerity and deception -- Continuity and discontinuity -- Physical and mental investment -- Distant relationships -- Summary -- 3 Emotions on the Net -- The typical cause of emotion: A perceived significant change -- The typical emotional concern: A comparative personal concern -- Typical characteristics and components -- Emotional intensity -- Emotions and intelligence -- Netiquette -- Summary -- 4 Online imagination -- Emotions and imagination -- The reality of online imagination -- Exciting information -- The reality of romantic and sexual imagination -- Dangers of online imagination -- Regret and online affairs -- Summary -- 5 Online privacy and emotional closeness -- Privacy: Initial distinctions -- Types of privacy -- Privacy, emotional closeness, and openness -- Online closeness -- Online openness -- Emotional pretense and sexual harassment -- The transparent society -- Shame in cyberspace -- Summary -- 6 Is it worth it? -- Extrinsically and intrinsically valuable activities -- Love and sex -- Happiness -- Types of online intimate activities -- Types of activities involved in cybersex -- The incomplete nature of online affairs -- Summary -- 7 Flirting on- and offline.

Online conversations -- Online affairs as flirting -- The rules for online dating -- The formation of online affairs -- Summary -- 8 Cyberlove -- Attractiveness and praiseworthiness -- Seeing with your heart -- Online attraction -- Love at first chat -- Availability and effort -- The exclusivity of cyberlove -- Online intimacy and commitment -- Online rejection -- Gender differences -- Summary -- 9 Chatting is sometimes cheating -- The morality of imagination -- Chatting about sex -- Casual sex, adultery, and infidelity -- The morality of online affairs -- Cybersex with software -- The risks and prospects of online affairs -- Summary -- 10 The future of romantic relationships -- Stability and change in romantic relationships -- The marriage paradox -- Proclaimed monogamy with clandestine adultery -- Cohabitation and online affairs -- Whetting your appetite outside while eating at home -- Greater romantic flexibility -- Concluding remarks -- Notes -- 1 The seductive space -- 2 The paradoxical nature of online relationships -- 3 Emotions on the Net -- 4 Online imagination -- 5 Online privacy and emotional closeness -- 6 Is it worth it? -- 7 Flirting on- and offline -- 8 Cyberlove -- 9 Chatting is sometimes cheating -- 10 The future of romantic relationships -- Bibliography -- Index.