Social Networking Sites: Effects on Romantic Relationships

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Social Networking Sites: Effects on Romantic Relationships

Introduction

The Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are web-based services that allow users to express a list of other users with whom they have a relationship and view and explore their list of references as well as those made by others within the system (Miller, 2020). These connections can take many forms and have different names depending on the location. Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and Twitter are the most widely used social networking platforms. These websites are used by millions of individuals to communicate with friends, family, and colleagues around the world. One of the most well-known social networking platforms is Facebook. Over 1 billion people use it regularly. Usually, Facebook allows one to connect with friends, family, and business associates. People in a romantic relationship can share photos, videos, and messages with people on Facebook. Google+ is a social networking site that Google owns which has over 300 million active users. One can also share photos, videos, and messages with people on Google+. LinkedIn on the other side is also a social networking site that that is more into professional’s use. It has more than 300 million active users. LinkedIn allows you to connect with business associates and find jobs. You can also share your resume and Portfolio via LinkedIn. Twitter being a social networking site is used by people to share short messages. Twitter allows you to connect and interact with friends, family, and business associates. This essay provides a comprehensive understanding of how SNS affect romantic relationships. Specifically, the paper covers how romantic relationships were impacted by other factors before the popularity of SNSs, the different factors involved with romantic relationships and SNS, the benefits of romantic relationships and the use of SNS, and severe impacts of SNSs on romantic relationships.

How Romantic Relationships Were Affected by Other Factors before the Popularity of SNSs

Romantic relationships were significantly affected by other factors before the SNSs became popular. Such factors include lack of communication. Before popularity of SNSs, communication among people in a romantic relationship was difficult which made it difficult for people to keep in touch. However, the widespread adoption of Social Networking Sites has changed interaction with one other. Also, before popularity of SNSs, it was difficult to form new relationships. This is because before the advent of SNSs, people typically communicated mostly with nearest members, such as family members, friends, and co-workers. But nowadays, individuals can communicate with unknown others, which has led to new relationships. These networking sites also give users a fresh method of staying in touch with their existing friends and family. People are also building quality relationship through these sites. The formation of new relationships is one of the most intriguing aspects of the networking site (Kuss et al., 2017). One reason is that the ability to form new relationships is not equally available to all SNS users. Users already in a romantic relationship may be less likely to form new relationships than single users. Users who are not interested in dating or who are not looking for a romantic partner are also less likely to form new relationships.

Factors Involved with Romantic Relationships and SNSs

Furthermore, different factors are involved with romantic relationships and SNSs. The most important factors are those influencing the formation of new relationships on SNSs. One factor that has been shown to influence the formation of new relationships on SNSs is social connectedness which is a measure of an individual’s ties to others. It is typically operationalized as the number of friends an individual has on a networking site and is associated with forming new relationships. Social connectedness is associated with the number of messages sent and received on these social sites. Self-disclosure is another factor that has been influencing formation of new relationships. This is the act of sharing information about oneself with others and is associated with forming new relationships on social networking sites. Self-disclosure is also linked to the number of messages sent and received on social networking sites. Reciprocity is another factor and is the act of exchanging favors with others that are associated with forming new relationships on SNSs. Reciprocity is also associated with the number of messages sent and received. Physical attractiveness is the final factor and is the degree to which an individual is considered physically attractive by others associated with forming new relationships on SNSs.

The Benefits of Use of SNSs on Romantic Relationships

Some research has suggested that social networking sites can positively affect romantic relationships. There are a few different ways that social networking sites can have a positive effect on romantic relationships (Verduyn et al.,2020). First, social networking sites can help couples stay connected. If you and your partner are in a long-distance relationship, social networking sites can help you stay in touch and feel close to one another. You can share photos, videos, and messages on social networking sites, which can help you feel connected to your partner even when you are not physically together. Social networking sites can increase communication. If you and your partner have trouble communicating, social networking sites can be a great way to start and maintain conversations. You can also use social networking sites to resolve conflicts. For example, if you and your partner are arguing about something, you can use a social networking site to share your story and try to resolve it. Social networking sites can be a great way to meet new people. If you are looking for a new relationship, you can use social networking sites to find potential partners. You can also use social networking sites to reconnect with old friends and family members.

Negative Effects of SNSs on Romantic Relationships

Although SNSs have significant positive impact on romantic relationships, they are also associated with some adverse effects. For instance, SNSs can lead to jealousy and insecurity. If you see your partner interacting with other people on a social networking site, you may feel jealous or insecure. This can lead to arguments and resentment in your relationship. Second, social networking sites can disrupt your relationship (Carbonell et al., 2017). If you are spending more time on social networking sites than you are with your partner, it can take away from the time you could be spending developing your relationship. Finally, social networking sites can create unrealistic expectations. If you and your partner are communicating primarily through a social networking site, you may start to expect too much from each other. One may expect your partner to be available to chat or respond to messages at all times. This can lead to frustration and disappointment if your expectations are not met.

Conclusion

To conclude, the above literature suggests that the creation of new relationships is influenced by social networking sites. The literature also implies a connection between social networking sites and the volume of messages sent and received. Romantic relationships were significantly affected by other factors before the SNSs became popular. For instance, formation of new relationships was not easier and people in a romantic relationship had minimal interactions. Also, romantic relationship is influenced by various factors including social connectedness, self-disclosure, physical attractivess, and reciprocity. Furthermore, SNSs have shown to have both positive and negative effects on romantic relationships, although the positive effects outweigh the negative effects making SNSs to be considered beneficial to romantic relationships.

References

Abbasi, I. S. (2019). Social media addiction in romantic relationships: Does user’s age influence vulnerability to social media infidelity? Personality and Individual Differences, 139, 277-280. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886918305798Carbonell, X., & Panova, T. (2017). A critical consideration of social networking sites’ addiction potential. Addiction Research & Theory, 25(1), 48-57. https://doi.org/10.1080/16066359.2016.1197915Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2017). Social networking sites and addiction: Ten lessons learned. International journal of environmental research and public health, 14(3), 311. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14030311Miller, D. (2020). Social networking sites. In Digital anthropology (pp. 146-161). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003085201-10/social-networking-sites-daniel-millerVerduyn, P., Gugushvili, N., Massar, K., Täht, K., & Kross, E. (2020). Social comparison on social networking sites. Current opinion in psychology, 36, 32-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.04.002