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Exploring female perceptions of relational norms in text messaging and their implications for developing romantic relationships

Guest, Chelsea
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin153026630809489

Abstract Details

2018, MA, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Communication.
The pressures and expectations that young adults in romantic relationships face become increasingly complex with the incorporation of various information communication technologies (ICTs). The purpose of this project is to investigate normative relational behaviors and expectations via smartphone use for developing romantic partners and to better understand how these couples manage normative behaviors. This study utilizes a qualitative approach, specifically semi-structured interviews for data collection. There were a total of 20 participants in the age range of 18 to 24 (M = 19.35, SD = 1.31). Through an inductive iterative approach to analysis, there were three main findings. First, mobile technologies, specifically text messaging, afford everyday talk for romantic couples, which introduces an autonomy-connection dialectical tension that couples must manage. Second, smartphone features, like read receipts and Snapchat streaks, afford continuous communication for couples, consequently adjusting expectations for synchronous and asynchronous forms of communication. Third, there are implicit normative behavior expectations (i.e., response times) and patterns of expectancy violations that frequently occur across couples. Taken together, these findings highlight specific affordances and features of mobile technologies that are pertinent within the developmental phase of romantic relationships, which consequently affect relationship communicative dynamics.
Pamara Chang, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Stephen Haas, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Tony Liao, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
80 p.
Communication
text messaging; romantic relationships; relationship development; snapchat; computer mediated communication; interpersonal communication

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Guest, C. (2018). Exploring female perceptions of relational norms in text messaging and their implications for developing romantic relationships [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin153026630809489

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Guest, Chelsea. Exploring female perceptions of relational norms in text messaging and their implications for developing romantic relationships. 2018. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin153026630809489.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Guest, Chelsea. "Exploring female perceptions of relational norms in text messaging and their implications for developing romantic relationships." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin153026630809489

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin153026630809489
596
© 2018, some rights reserved.Creative Commons License Exploring female perceptions of relational norms in text messaging and their implications for developing romantic relationships by Chelsea Guest is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.