The Impact of Social Media on Romantic Relationships

As the prevalence of social media rises in our daily interactions in society, research regarding this topic has become increasingly important. With the emergence of social media accounts, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, the way in which people create and maintain relationships, especially romantic relationships, has been greatly affected. People now have access to millions of people all around the world who, in the past, may never have met. Studies have shown a negative impact on romantic relationships due to an increased usage of social media for various reasons, including jealousy. The current research study examined the effect of increased social media use on the overall satisfaction of romantic relationships. The Social Network Site Intrusion Questionnaire (SNSIQ) and a questionnaire on relational satisfaction was administered to 100 students of a private, faith based university in the southern United States. The researchers hoped to determine how important social media was to each participant and then measured how satisfied that individual was in his or her romantic relationship. Based on the results, the null hypothesis was rejected, finding a negative correlation between social network site intrusion (SNSI) and relationship satisfaction. Based on the findings, the authors discuss the impact of social media on romantic relationships and the possible causes behind the participants’ reports on their relationships with their significant others.