Does Facebook usage contribute to jealousy in relationships?

The more time college students spend on Facebook, the more likely they are to feel jealous toward their romantic partners, leading to more time on Facebook searching for additional information that will further fuel their jealousy, in an escalating cycle that may become addictive, according to a study reported in CyberPsychology & Behavior.

Amy Muise, MSc, Emily Christofides, MSc, and Serge Desmarais, PhD, from the University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada), surveyed young adults involved in romantic relationships and found that those who spent time on social networking sites such as Facebook may be exposed to information about their partners that makes them jealous, leading them to spend more time involved in online surveillance and to uncover even more jealousy-provoking information.

The Rapid Communication, entitled "More Information than You Ever Wanted: Does Facebook Bring Out the Green-Eyed Monster of Jealousy?" describes a vicious cycle in which Facebook usage and feelings of jealousy become intertwined and have a negative influence on behavior and relationships. Some participants in the study described their increasing use of Facebook as "addictive." The authors recommend further research to explore this feedback loop and to determine whether a similar relationship between online social networking and jealousy toward a partner affects older adults as well.

"This research on university age individuals is an excellent starting point to begin asking additional questions on how this new forum might be impacting the dynamics of adult relationships and other social processes," says Professor Dr. Brenda K. Wiederhold, Editor-in-Chief of CyberPsychology & Behavior.

More information: www.liebertpub.com/cpb

Source: Mary Ann Liebert

   

• Truth - Aug 06, 2009
  • Rank: not rated yet
  I got news for you. This phenomenon also occurs with much older users on other sites such as Myspace. I personally know of a number of women, all over the age of 40, who feel threatened and overwhelmed by their romantic partners "friends" whose pictures are shown on their home pages. I also know of one particular woman who not only became extremely jealous of her man's pretty friends, but also went as far as posting bitter and hateful messages on the girl's pages. I myself had to intervene to stop her from continuing the destructive behaviour.
  • report abuse
  • • Current rank
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5