Factors Influencing the Impact of Partner's Use of Social Media on a Couple's Relationship
Start Date
April 2020
End Date
April 2020
Major Field of Study
Psychology
Student Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Mentor(s)
Ian S. Madfes, PhD
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
Social Networking Services (SNS) have become an important aspect for communicating within interpersonal relationships in this generation. SNS have played a crucial role in forming romantic relationships because of greater access to broader networks than offline relationships. But, despite the benefits SNS can have on romantic relationships, there are disadvantages to online interactions. SNS can be used to monitor a partner, seek romantic alternatives and foster jealousy, which may result in conflict in a relationship.
As SNS have become immensely time consuming, questions arose about how interpersonal relationships have been affected. It has been argued that constant availability of information about an individual’s partner on SNS contributes to jealousy. This may be due to low self-esteem, i.e., individuals with low self-esteem may have more doubts about their partners’ love, catalyzing feelings of jealousy and concerns about what is occurring during partner’s social media interactions.
It was hypothesized that individuals with lower self-esteem will have more negative emotions towards their partners being on social media. Anonymous surveys were completed online. Data analysis found a significant relationship between self-esteem and concerns about partner’s social media use (r = 0.3) for the 84 females respondents, but not for the 26 male participants. No differences were found for level of concerns about partner when groups were compared on basis of age, gender, length of relationship or type of relationship. Those participants, whose partners use social media daily, had significantly more emotional concerns than those whose partners used social media less often.
Factors Influencing the Impact of Partner's Use of Social Media on a Couple's Relationship
Social Networking Services (SNS) have become an important aspect for communicating within interpersonal relationships in this generation. SNS have played a crucial role in forming romantic relationships because of greater access to broader networks than offline relationships. But, despite the benefits SNS can have on romantic relationships, there are disadvantages to online interactions. SNS can be used to monitor a partner, seek romantic alternatives and foster jealousy, which may result in conflict in a relationship.
As SNS have become immensely time consuming, questions arose about how interpersonal relationships have been affected. It has been argued that constant availability of information about an individual’s partner on SNS contributes to jealousy. This may be due to low self-esteem, i.e., individuals with low self-esteem may have more doubts about their partners’ love, catalyzing feelings of jealousy and concerns about what is occurring during partner’s social media interactions.
It was hypothesized that individuals with lower self-esteem will have more negative emotions towards their partners being on social media. Anonymous surveys were completed online. Data analysis found a significant relationship between self-esteem and concerns about partner’s social media use (r = 0.3) for the 84 females respondents, but not for the 26 male participants. No differences were found for level of concerns about partner when groups were compared on basis of age, gender, length of relationship or type of relationship. Those participants, whose partners use social media daily, had significantly more emotional concerns than those whose partners used social media less often.