Recent advances in courtship theory emphasize day-today
interaction and the environment in which interaction
takes place as critically important in the understanding of
relationship development. The purpose of this study was to
determine the influence of college course assignments on
time spent in relationship activities and, similarly, the
influence of time spent in relationship activities on
relationship satisfaction. As college couples are often the
subjects of relationship studies, consideration of the
college environment seemed both appropriate and overdue.
The sample consisted of 35 serious dating couples in
which both partners were full-time students. A telephone
survey methodology was developed so that couples could
report coded relationship behaviors both conveniently and
confidentially. Data were collected twice a week for 8 1/2
weeks during winter term 1987 at a large northwestern
university.
Results indicated: (1) previous, current, and up-coming
course assignments were influential regarding reported time
in selected relationship activities, and, in general, tended
to increase time in activities; (2) when assignments
decreased relationship activity, men's assignments were more
influential. Women's assignments, particularly previous
assignments, were found likely to increase relationship
activity. Regarding the influence time spent in activities
had on relationships satisfaction, the data indicated that
time spent eating together and in affectionate behavior were
activities that increased relationship satisfaction.
Discussion centered on the "interpersonal process"
framework of relationships development and on the timing of
course workload on relationships. Conclusions suggested the
academic environment does have an effect on dating
relationships and that this effect may be similar to work
and family issues that society as a whole is facing. / Graduation date: 1990
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/38197 |
| Date | 01 December 1989 |
| Creators | Pennington, Darren C. |
| Contributors | Zvonkovic, Anisa M. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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