Communication technologies, such as text messaging, social media, and phone calls, are used to maintain relationships of all types, but what impact does this technology have on well-being? How are intimate relationships of couples being transformed by the capabilities allowed by these new communication methods?
One study, led by recent PhD Samuel Taylor, builds on media multiplexity theory to investigate the media ecosystem used for communication in close relationships. While being always available adds security, knowing that it is possible to reach out and connect with loved ones at any moment, it also adds the stress of maintaining constant availability. A dyadic longitudinal study of cohabitating romantic partners revealed that media multiplexity was associated with the perception that a partner is always available to help, which predicted increased well-being.
Another project currently in progress is called ‘Parenting Practices in the Digital Age’. This project aims to understand how parents create and enforce technology-related rules in their homes, and how teenagers perceive and respond to those rules.
Taylor, S. H., & Bazarova, N. N. (2020). Always available, always attached: A relational perspective on the effects of mobile phones and social media on subjective well-being. To be presented at the 70th Annual International Communication Association Conference, Gold Cost, Australia.
Taylor, S. H., & Bazarova, N. N. (2018). Social media and subjective well-being: A relational perspective. In Z. Papacharissi (Ed). A Networked Self and Love (pp. 86-112). New York, NY: Routledge.
Taylor, S. H., & Bazarova, N. N. (2017). Media multiplexity in romantic relationships: A longitudinal test of relational closeness, relational uncertainty, and multimedia communication. Presented at the 67th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, May 25-29, 2017, San Diego, CA.
Taylor, S. H., & Bazarova, N. N. (2016). The Interaction between relational uncertainty and media affordances: An investigation of date request messages across different interpersonal media. Presented at the 2016 Conference for the International Association of Relationship Research, July 20-24, 2016, Toronto, CA.