If all computer-mediated communication systems can be said to have one single unifying effect upon human behavior it is that usage tends to cause the user to become less inhibited. Research is slowly starting to delineate the psychological differences engendered by online interactivity. One of the first research findings to come out of the study on online behavior has to do with status. The lack of sensual clues and relative anonymity creates a more level playing field for online social interactions. People have an enhanced opportunity to feel at ease with others.
Communication is reduced to it's elemental state of the exchange of ideas and concepts.
How power and status is gained or lost in open online communities is a question for future research to answer. The types of differences between people that might inhibit relationship formation are hidden. This promotes a sense of group membership, one that is solely dependent on the perceptions of the receiver. Control over impression formation is enhanced in written mediums. People can select only aspects of themselves that they choose to make public.