Page 94 - Never Too Far Away? The Roles of Social Network Sites in Sojourners’ Adjustment

experience more SNS-related jealousy. Thus, corollary to the previous hypothesis, it was predicted that:
H4: Individuals in LDRR are more likely to experience SNS-related jealousy than those in GCRR.
Method
An online survey was conducted among Facebook users who were involved in a romantic relationship. Facebook was selected because it is currently the most popular SNS. The sample consisted of 272 participants (187 females). They were recruited online by posting a link to an online survey on Facebook. Participants in LDRR were specifically recruited by posting on Facebook group pages of international university students and overseas workers. Participation was voluntary. Participants had to indicate that they were Facebook friends with their partner. Participants’ mean age was 23 years (SD=4.37 years; range 17–52 years old). The sample consisted predominantly of young adults, with 86% of the sample belonging to the 17–25 age range. One hundred and ten participants self- assigned as being involved in GCRR, and 162 in LDRR. LDRR was defined based on whether participants considered themselves to be LDRR or GCRR. According to Stafford (2005), “such a definition likely captures each individual’s relational reality better than researcher-imposed constructions” (p. 27). Table 1 displays the means and standard deviations of age of respondents according to gender and relationship type.
Table 1
Means and standard deviations of age of respondents according to gender and relationship type (GCRR vs. LDRR).
Participants and procedure
GCRR
LDRR
n
M
SD
n
M
SD
Females Males Total
77 24.18 6.72 110
33 23.79 3.44 52 110 24.06 5.92 162
22.61 2.62 23.46 3.11 22.89 2.80
Note. GCRR – geographically-close romantic relationships; LDRR – long-distance romantic relationships
92 Chapter 4