Digital Commons Network^™

Social Media And Relationship Development, Gretchen Kelmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the use of social media to represent romantic relationships among a diverse, national sample (N=831) of Facebook users aged 20-37. Taken together, results from this study indicate that relationship representation via Facebook is associated with various aspects of commitment, including couple identity, prioritization of one’s relationship, and commitment to the future, and was also associated with stability of the relationship over time. Social media relationship representation was also found to be associated with lower levels of sexual infidelity, alternative partner monitoring, and partner’s jealousy, as well as higher levels of perceived social pressure from friends and …

Relationship Adjustment In African American/White Interracial Couples, Elizabeth Rose Muino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interracial intimate partnerships are at greater risk for relationship dissolution (i.e., divorce or permanent separation in cohabitating couples) than their endogamous counterparts (Bratter & King, 2008). However, a disparity in dissolution rates exists between African American male/White female pairings and African American female/White male pairings. This study sought to elucidate psychological variables that may be related to this sizable discrepancy. It was hypothesized that differences between these pairings exist with regard to color-blindness, empathy, sexism, and relationship adjustment. It was further hypothesized that color-blindness, empathy, and sexism, as controlled for by gender and race, would predict relationship adjustment.

Participants included …

Dyadic Perfectionism, Communication Patterns And Relationship Quality In Couples, Anna Arcuri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Maladaptive dyadic perfectionism and couples' negative communication patterns, particularly demandwithdraw and mutual avoidance-withholding patterns of communication, are among various factors that are associated with poor relationship quality. Individuals high in maladaptive dyadic perfectionism are inclined to believe that their romantic partner's performance always falls short of their high ideal expectations. Informed by Robins and Boldero's (2003) relational discrepancy theory, this study was designed to assess three primary questions: (a) How does maladaptive dyadic perfectionism relate to perceived relationship quality for both partners?; (b) How does maladaptive dyadic perfectionism relate to negative communication patterns between romantic partners?; and (c) Do negative …