Page 135 - Never Too Far Away? The Roles of Social Network Sites in Sojourners’ Adjustment
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                                the roles of SNSs in LDRR despite this platform’s high popularity in the general population and among sojourners. Doing a study in the context of LDRR alone would not clarify how relevant SNS use is in relationship maintenance without comparing it from the GCRR context. Thus, international sojourners in LDRR and individuals (from the general population) who are in GCRR were included in an online cross-sectional survey study. This study compared LDRR and GCRR on how SNS use is related to 1) expressing involvement (via relational maintenance behaviors), 2) gauging a partner’s involvement (via partner surveillance), and 3) experiencing jealousy in the relationship. Results showed that those in a LDRR had higher levels of relational maintenance behaviors through SNS than those in a GCRR. Also, compared to those in a GCRR, those in a LDRR used SNS more for partner surveillance and experienced higher levels of SNS-related jealousy. Although partner surveillance and jealousy are, at first glance, negative aspects of a relationship, they could play constructive and maintenance functions as well (Attridge, 2013; Papp, Danielewicz, & Cayemberg, 2012;) Thus, the findings imply that SNS is relatively more important as a medium for relationship maintenance among those in LDRR than individuals in GCRR.
Chapter 5: SNS use for Romantic Relationship Support, Satisfaction, and Stability
Key finding 7: SNS use could be a double-edged sword for sojourners’ LDRR: On the one hand, SNS use had a direct negative impact on relationship stability; on the other hand, SNS use increased relationship support, which in turn, increased relationship stability and satisfaction.
Key finding 8: SNS use was more crucial for relationship satisfaction and stability among sojourners in LDRR than among individuals in GCRR.
Chapter 5 presents a study that extended the application of the general framework of sojourners’ adjustment in the context of romantic relationships. The study tested the proposition that the use of SNS facilitates relationship support from SNS social networks, and this, in turn, predicts relational adjustment (i.e., relationship stability and satisfaction) in romantic relationships. In this study, I argued that the value of SNSs use in romantic relationships involves not only the couple members but also members of their social networks. This was based on the premise of the
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