This study assessed the associations between adult attachment, disclosure, and relational uncertainty in both cyclical and non-cyclical dating relationships using a sample of 114 participants. The analysis revealed significant relationships between relational disclosure and relational uncertainty, attachment avoidance and relational disclosure, attachment anxiety and relational uncertainty, as well as attachment avoidance and relational uncertainty. Relational status (i.e., cyclical/non-cyclical) was neither related to relational disclosure or self-disclosure, nor served as a significant moderator between relational disclosure and relational uncertainty or self-disclosure and relational uncertainty. The results are considered in terms of how individual characteristics shaped by interpersonal interaction (i.e., attachment, relational uncertainty) are associated with specific communication patterns (i.e., disclosure) in dating relationships. / text

Recent technological innovations affecting romantic relationships include the rise in prominence of social networking sites (SNSs), including Facebook. SNSs have become an increasingly fundamental part of developing and maintaining relationships. A majority of research focuses on the ways in which individuals access SNSs. Less studied is how individuals' use of SNSs affects their romantic relationships. An important aspect of the stability of romantic relationships is the construct of commitment. Relationship commitment is conceptualized as the intent to continue a relationship into the future and is composed of many constructs that can either keep individuals in or pull them away from the relationship. One aspect that may pull individuals away from their relationship is the quality and availability of potential alternatives, or relationship forms other than the current one. There is evidence that using tools like Facebook may prompt individuals to pay attention to alternative relationship options. This study examined how SNSs use may affect current relationships with a sample of 645 unmarried individuals in dating relationships and with current Facebook accounts. All participants completed measures of their Facebook use, relationship commitment, and attention to relationship alternatives. A sub-sample of 432 participants were randomly assigned to one of two study conditions. One condition prompted participants to view the Facebook profiles of friends that they might consider as possible relationship partners and the other condition prompted participants to view organizations they follow on Facebook. Analyses indicated that Facebook monitoring condition did not predict differences in individuals' reported commitment. However, hierarchical regression analyses using the full sample revealed that high levels of online monitoring of alternatives were associated with low levels of commitment for both males and females, but more so for males. Analyses also revealed that low levels of satisfaction predicted high levels of monitoring of alternatives and high levels of Facebook use predicted high levels of online monitoring of alternatives. These results suggest that tools such as Facebook can be used to monitor alternatives, yet doing so may negatively affect current romantic relationships. Future studies should explore these relationships by using a repeated measures design to assess change over time. / text

This thesis investigates the design and use of communication technologies to support long distance dating relationships (LDDRs). We focus on using co-located behaviours that hold special relational meaning as the metaphor behind the design of devices to mediate between separated partners. Social Presence is used as the main theoretical construct through which support for LDDRs is addressed. Social Presence is a phenomenological concept which refers to “the degree of salience of the other person in the interaction and the consequent salience of the interpersonal relationship” [Short et al., 1976, p. 65]. An additional concept, Closeness, is also brought in to the design problem to account for the supportive role of communication technologies between moments of synchronous contact. This thesis proposes three main arguments. The first is that individual acts of communication, through feelings of Social Presence, have an impact on a couple’s feelings of Closeness towards one another. We explore possible connections between Social Presence and Closeness through a diary study. The results of the diary study also establish that the selection of communication media impacts feelings of Social Presence. Our second argument is that a number of design facets, explored throughout the thesis, could enhance the design of communication technologies for LDDRs by increasing feelings of Social Presence. An analysis of current literature informs the development of seven prototype devices based on hand-holding, hugging, sharing notes and pillow talk. Two interview studies explore people’s reactions to these devices. The findings from these studies are integrated into a design space which describes some of the design decisions that should be considered when creating behaviour-based devices which aim to support LDDRs. Our third argument is that devices based on co-located behaviours support LDDRs through engendering high levels of SP. This is investigated through five case studies using the devices we previously developed, showing that three of our devices are associated with particularly high levels of SP. They also provide insights about the design space facets, as realised in the devices, through using the devices within couples’ existing communication routines. The thesis concludes with a discussion of how the results of these studies are of relevance to researchers interested in supporting long distance dating relationships. Our investigation into Social Presence provides two main contributions; firstly it offers an understanding of how various factors (including relationship type and distance) affect feelings of SP. Secondly, it demonstrates that increasing feelings of Social Presence can have a longer-term impact on LDDRs through increasing their feelings of Closeness towards one another. This suggests that SP is suitable concept to try and support through the design of communication technologies. In addition to informing our discussion of our design space, the case studies within this thesis highlight that devices based on co-located behaviours can help support LDDRs. Given the dearth of devices based on this metaphor, we suggest that other researchers may be interested in extending these findings by exploring other behavioural metaphors. The design space proposed within this thesis offers two main contributions. Firstly, designers can use the design space to foster innovation when creating new designs. Design spaces result in a descriptive and exploratory tool for designers creating new innovations. Secondly, the comprehensive consideration of the various dimensions, especially regarding our consideration of existing communication technologies, provides researchers with a novel design-centric view over the state of the art.

The purpose of the present study was to determine how college participants view the success of different conflict management strategies: chance, manipulation, compliance, and confrontation. The success of the conflict management strategies was evaluated by how participants rated female satisfaction, male satisfaction, likelihood of marriage and success of marriage. A MANOVA, and a Roy Bargman step-down procedure were conducted on all dependent variables. A Tukey HSD post hoc test was ran to reveal which conflict management strategies differed from one another. Results indicated that participants thought women were less satisfied than men. For male satisfaction and likelihood of marriage, post hoc testing on the conflict management strategies revealed using compliance was the most satisfying. On the success of marriage variable, participants rated men higher than women on the manipulation and confrontation strategies. The results of the study may be useful in understanding conflict management in dating couples.

Little is known about online dating relationships, or the online dating persona that intentionally forms and develops interpersonal relationships through online matchmaking services. Online dating relationships are becoming more prevalent, especially in South Africa. However, research studies focussing on online dating relationships seems to be lacking. Hence, a scientific psychological enquiry into online dating relationships, and more specifically the online dating persona, is indicated. Focussing on 100 online dating members from DatingBuzz, this comparative research study investigated online dating relationships and the online dating persona. More specifically, this study examined, first, online dating relationships specifically within the South African context compared to online dating relationships internationally; and second, the South African online dating persona. This was done by creating a profile focussing on (a) sociodemographic characteristics, (b) personality characteristics, (c) level of emotional intelligence and, (d) life effectiveness skills. A quasi-comparative research design was used with a non-probability, non-random sample of convenience. The realised sample for this research was 100 participants (N=100), with the total sample (n=100) reporting on online dating relationships and 67 participants (n=67) reporting on the online dating persona. The online matchmaking service, DatingBuzz, consented to post an advertisement for research participation. Using an Internet-based questionnaire with preset response categories in a Likert type format, data collection continued consecutively for six months in 2005. Instruments included (a) a set of self-constructed questions assessing online dating relationships and the sociodemographic characteristics of the online dating persona, (b) Sauciers’ 40 Mini-marker Set to examine the Big Five personality traits, (c) the 33-item EIS scale to investigate emotional intelligence and, (d) the LEQ – H to examine life effectiveness skills. The data were statistically analysed using the SAS programme and included descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) in terms of gender, age, relationship status, geographical location and relationship type. Consistent with previous findings, this research study found comparisons between South African and international online dating relationships. Looking at the online dating persona profile, significant findings pertaining to sociodemographic traits, Big Five personality traits, level of emotional intelligence and life effectiveness skills. These preliminary findings are discussed in relations to methodological and research issues. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Psychology / unrestricted

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8 pp. / "Turning Points" is a video production written and acted by teen youth in Flagstaff, many of whom were involved with an educational promotions program on healthy dating. The program portrays teen dating relationship scenarios to prompt thinking and discussion among teens about dating. An accompanying discussion guide to be used in conjunction with the DVD is written for in-class and informal teen groups.

This literature review updates evidence about intimate partner violence in dating relationships, revealing a particular phenomenon, emphasizing issues such as the prevalence for both sexes, which according to various reviewed studies may range from 0.8% for sexual violence to 98% for psychological aggression. Factors associated with abuse or early sexual initiation, temporal extent of the relationship, role of parents and peers, among others; and the consequences as dropouts: teenage pregnancy, eating disorders, victimization and expression of anger primarily in men, etc. are anayzed. This review demonstrates that this phenomenon has certain peculiarities that justify a more targeted research particularly during adolescence. / La presente revisión bibliográfica actualiza evidencia en torno a la violencia de pareja en relaciones de noviazgo, mostrándolo como un fenómeno particular, enfatizando aspectos como la prevalencia, para ambos sexos, que según lo expuesto en los distintos estudios revisados puede oscilar desde un 0.8% para la violencia sexual hasta un 98% para la agresión psicológica; factores asociados como abuso o iniciación sexual precoz, extensión temporal de la relación, rol de los padres y de los pares, entre otros y las consecuencias tales como: deserción esco- lar, embarazo precoz, trastornos alimentarios, victimización y expresión de rabia esto último fundamentalmente en los hombres. Se demuestra cómo el fenómeno presenta ciertas singularidades que justifican investigación más focalizada en particular durante la adolescencia.

Romantic, dyadic relationships arise, in part, from communication, disclosure, and boundaries. Information communication technology (ICT), such as smartphones, has rapidly integrated into our personal lives and affected relationship initiation, maintenance, and dissolution. To this point, models attempting to account for this emerging dynamic center on past theories about relationships. However, counselors and researchers would benefit from understanding contemporary couple dynamics that reflect the ICT-mediated changes to coupling that occurred during the last decade. To address this need, researchers conducted a grounded theory study to explore relationship dynamics, mediated by ICT, based on stories and descriptions provided by 16 participants. Findings showed technology influenced relationships in four domains: access, intimacy, boundaries, and presence.