本研究主要目的是探討現今人們透過電腦中介傳播系統(computer-mediated communication, CMC)發展出的人際情感親密關係。研究動機是基於網路目前的風行以及研究需要，並視網路為「虛擬情境」，稱此通道下之人際情感親密關係為「虛擬人際關係」，與親身接觸發展出的人際關係有相同與相異之處。 The study mainly attempts to explore intimate and emotional interpersonal relationship through the computer-mediated communication(CMC) ,orthe Internet, which is regarded as a "Virtual context". The relationship is named as "virtual relationship" which is different from face-to-face(FTF) one.
