The Perceived Influence of Media and Technology on Adolescent Romantic Relationships

Contemporary adolescents rely heavily on technology and media to navigate romantic relationships. In this mixed-methods study, adolescents and young adults (N = 204) detailed their perceptions of how entertainment media and interactive technology influence adolescent romantic relationships. The majo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of adolescent research 2018-11, Vol.33 (6), p.651-671
Main Authors: Vaterlaus, J. Mitchell, Tulane, Sarah, Porter, Brandon D., Beckert, Troy E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescents
College Students
Computer Mediated Communication
Correlation
Couples
Dating (Social)
Gender Differences
High School Students
Information Technology
Interpersonal communication
Interpersonal Relationship
Intimacy
Life cycles
Mass Media Effects
Personal relationships
Qualitative research
Role Models
Romantic relationships
Student Attitudes
Technology
Teenagers
Young adults
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Summary:Contemporary adolescents rely heavily on technology and media to navigate romantic relationships. In this mixed-methods study, adolescents and young adults (N = 204) detailed their perceptions of how entertainment media and interactive technology influence adolescent romantic relationships. The majority of adolescents and young adults perceived that entertainment media (95%) and interactive technology (97%) did influence adolescent romantic relationships. Using a qualitative analysis approach, we found six major themes. Although entertainment media provided media role models for expected behavior in romantic relationships, it was also associated with the development of unrealistic relational expectations and perceived pressure to be in a romantic relationship. Participants perceived that interactive technology has changed the way adolescents communicate with romantic partners, become integrated into the entire relationship life cycle, and led to a decline in face-to-face communication in adolescent romantic relationships.
ISSN:0743-5584
1552-6895
DOI:10.1177/0743558417712611