Some
may find them (cutely) annoying, but scientists say they’re on to
something. Dating couples who do this one thing on Facebook are more
likely to be together after six months than those who don’t. It’s due to
something called “public commitment theory.” (Photo: Getty Images)
You
know the type on Facebook: They repeatedly post selfies with their
significant other and have a penchant for writing about their
relationship. To some degree it’s sweet; to another, it’s completely
annoying.
And scientists say they’re on to something.
New research published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking found
that dating couples who publicly share things about their relationship
on Facebook are more committed to each other and more likely to be
together after six months of dating vs. those who don’t.
For
the study, researchers tracked 185 college students and found that
posting pictures of each other and writing on your significant other’s
wall is the best measure of relationship success for newer couples.
But…why?
It’s
likely due to something called the public commitment theory, study
author Catalina Toma, PhD, an assistant professor of communication
science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, tells Yahoo Health.
“It’s
the idea that the claims people make about themselves in public are
likely to become internalized about what they think about themselves,”
she explains. “People bridge that gap, and we become who we claim to
be.”
The
same holds true for relationships, she says: Having an online audience
encourages you to see your love life from the imagined perspective of
your Facebook friends. And when the information you present to your
friends is “Facebook perfect,” your relationship may seem a little
glossier as a result.
Approval
from friends is also a factor, Toma says: “Research suggests that the
extent to which people tell others about their relationships and gain
their approval is correlated with the relationship lasting longer.”
The
new study backs up previous research that also found a link between
relationship satisfaction and Facebook use. A study published earlier
this year in the journal Psychology of Popular Media Culture found
that people who posted about their relationship on Facebook reported
feeling more connected to their partner if they posted for the right
reasons (i.e. not to make other people feel jealous or to brag).
Mai-Ly
Nguyen Steers, PhD, a University of Houston researcher who authored
that study, tells Yahoo Health that Facebook has a major impact on
relationships because it’s so public. “By posting about your
relationship…you are conveying to people that your partner and in turn,
your romantic relationship, are important to you,” she says.
There
are a few caveats, though. Toma’s study discovered that the more mutual
Facebook friends a couple had, the less committed they were and they
less likely they were to still be together after six months.
Toma
thinks it may be because couples who have larger social networks might
feel that they have more dating options and might then be more tempted
to see what else is out there.
She also discovered a bizarre double standard: The more a study participant’s partner wrote on their wall,
the less solid the couple. Toma isn’t sure why that happens but says
posting too much on a partner’s wall could be interpreted as a sign of
possessiveness.
While
Toma only studied newer couples, she says it’s possible Facebook
declarations of love could have an impact on more seasoned relationships
as well — just to a lesser degree since long-term relationships have
more to go on.
So,
if you’re tempted to write something sweet about your significant other
on Facebook here and there, go right ahead. You could be boosting your
bond in the process.
source : yahoo
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