The use of Facebook in romantic relationships: An actor-partner interdependence mediation model predicting relationship visibility

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to document the use of social media in romantic relationships. More specifically, we examined whether the information that people desired to share (i.e., desired relationship visibility) and shared in practice (i.e., actual relationship visibility) about their romantic relationships on Facebook was predicted by their level of relational commitment. A sample of 139 couples, users of Facebook, aged 17 to 30 years, participated in the study. Participants completed questionnaires and used the Friendship application on Facebook (which gathered data directly from their Facebook accounts). The mediating role of desired relationship visibility in the link between relational commitment and actual relationship visibility on Facebook (i.e., declared relationship status and transient relationship visibility) was investigated using path analyses for dyadic data. Results of actor-partner interdependence mediation model analyses confirmed that women’s relational commitment was positively associated with their desired relationship visibility on Facebook. Men’s and women’s desired relationship visibility were, in turn, associated with their own and their partner’s declared relationship status and their own transient relationship visibility on Facebook. Our results provided evidence of the dyadic nature of Facebook self-presentations of coupledom.

Look at how we play: examining relationship self-presentation in the gaming context

“…While studies have delved into such a topic, they RELATIONSHIP SELF-PRESENTATION IN GAMING CONTEXT 12 are often limited by examining only one social media platform at a time, thus limiting the analysis to the same few platform-specific self-presentational techniques. For example, the examination of relationship indicators such as the listing of one's relationship status and the posting of dyadic real-life photographs is a common thread in prior research on Facebook relationship self-presentation (e.g., Emery et al, 2014;Emery et al, 2015;Bouchard et al, 2021). While these studies are still valuable in their in-depth examination of a social media platform, this study aims to shift the focus from platform to communityspecifically, couples who play games together and use video games for relationship self-presentation.…”

“…In extant literature on relationship self-presentation, two variables and their associations with relationship self-presentation are typically highlighted: relationship commitment and relationship satisfaction (e.g., Bouchard et al, 2021;Emery et al, 2015;Lane et al, 2016;Lohmann et al, 2003;Papp et al, 2012;Saslow et al, 2012;Sharabi & Hopkins, 2021;Toma & Choi, 2015).…”

“…Relationship commitment is the attachment or link felt to one's romantic partner and reflects a long-term desire to continue the relationship (Arriaga & Agnew, 2001;Rusbult & Buunk, 1993). Studies have found associations between relationship self-presentation behaviors and relationship commitment (e.g., Bouchard et al, 2021;Emery et al, 2015;Lane et al, 2016;Lohmann et al, 2003;Sharabi & Hopkins, 2021;Toma & Choi, 2015). For example, studies have found that those who conducted relationship self-presentation behaviors such as sharing dyadic photos of the couple on social media or updating their Facebook relationship status to reflect their relationship reported higher levels of relationship commitment compared to those who did not conduct relationship self-presentation (Emery et al, 2015;Lane et al, 2016;Toma & Choi, 2015).…”

“…In some of these studies above, relationship commitment and satisfaction were studied as predictors of relationship self-presentation rather than outcomes. In other words, individuals more committed to or satisfied with their relationships were presumed to conduct more relationship self-presentation than less committed or satisfied individuals (e.g., Bouchard et al, 2021;Saslow et al, 2012). However, scholars have argued that the relationship between these variables and relationship self-presentation is likely to be bidirectional (Bouchard et al, 2021).…”

“…In previous studies on online relationship self-presentation, scholars have typically zoned in on the associations between relationship self-presentation behaviors and the two variables of relationship commitment (e.g., e.g., Bouchard et al, 2021;Emery et al, 2015;Lane et al, 2016;Toma & Choi, 2015) and relationship satisfaction (e.g., Papp et al, 2012;Saslow et al, 2012). In some of these studies (e.g., Bouchard et al, 2021;Saslow, 2012), relationship commitment and relationship satisfaction were studied as predictors of relationship self-presentation. It was not clear if they could also be outcomes of relationship self-presentation as well.…”