本文主張網路人際關係的特色在於它們是以網路的媒介特性為基礎，而建立起虛擬社區中陌生人與陌生人之間的接觸。本文從網路的媒介特性著手，主張電腦網路同時具有隔離與連結的功能，進而指出匿名性只捕捉到網路人際關係的部份特性，而化名才是網路人際關係的真正基礎所在。本文利用高夫曼的戲劇理論來分析網友們如何在網路的表演舞台上利罔其隔離功能所提供的彈性，隱匿部份或全部真實世界的身分，再利用網路的連結功能，與其他的陌生人相連結，在互動中探索自我認同。在此，本文還引進布爾迪厄對社會世界實作邏輯的分析，借用其關於遊戲的概念架構，來凸顯網路上探索自我認同的遊戲乃是建立在網友間幻想的交互感應。其次，本文運用德國社會學家齊穆爾對陌生人這個互動類型的分析，並延伸其形式社會學關於距離的討論，說明網路上的陌生人之間的人際關係，會呈現出似近實遠、似遠實近的特色。並據此將網路上的人際關係予以分類，以便我們瞭解那些在網路上聊天、交友的使用者們所從事的各式各樣活動。

This essay argues that the most prominent trait of the interpersonal relations in cyberspace is the contacts between strangers,which is based on the special function of internet. We find thatinternet has the dual effects of connecting and isolating; therefore,anonymity cannot grasps the main mechanism of the interpersonalrelations in cyberspace fully, instead, pseudonymity would be abetter term. We utilize the dramaturgical model of Erving Goffman to show how netizens use the functions mentioned above tohide their identies in real life and make friends with otherstrangers in cyberspace simultaneously. And we introduce PierreBourdieu analytical framework of game to explain the basis ofexploring with self-identity in cyberspace is the interaction betweenillusions of netizens. Finally, this paper extends Georg Simmel'sanalysis of strangers and gives his concept of distance After elaboration of this concept, we argue that the interpersonal relations ofstrangers in cyberspace exhibits the combined characteristics offarness and closeness, besides, of strangeness and intimacy.