Inquiry is research methods that generate and
evaluate new knowledge about communication. Through an New Media/New methods
class I was to choose a human communication issue that took place partially
online and complete a full rigorous research project on the topic. Due to issue
that I see exist quite frequently, I chose to research how couples use smart
phones to maintain their romantic relationship. I vigorously researched this
topic in order developed a literature review and gain knowledge of information
that already exists. After researching the information that was provided I
developed three different methods of research in order to gain opinions of
those around me. After collecting all the data I then coded the information,
providing me with a solid ground for my analysis and what research can be done
in the future. This project allowed me to learn new skills to take on future
research projects of this volume. Not only did I gain skills that I can
successfully apply in the future, but also insight to a topic that I am very
interested in. This project, along with the class, provided me with the skills
of conducting and performing research methods, application, and critique which
help all forms of communication. Below is the research project I developed.
The Next Best Thing
Introduction
Smart phones, the next best thing for romantic
relationships? If you are an owner of any smart phone, you have probably seen a
statement like this once or twice before. Companies claim that they have
created something that will change the way that we operate today. With the
rapid advancements of technology and the dependence we have on these types of
devices, what kind of affect does it have on our romantic relationships?
Communication is key in any type of relationship.
It is what drives two people to create a bond that leads them from just a
relationship to a level of romance. We have gone from a world where the
main source of communication was face to face, to being able to communicate
everywhere due to the invention of smart phones. Due to the fact that smart
phones are a newer technology, all the ways that couples use them in their
relationship are unknown, and this is what attracted me to a topic like this. I
am currently in a relationship and the way that my boyfriend and I use our cell
phones is different than other couples. We have different norms, rules, and
perceptions of cell phone use that makes our relationship unique to us. I
wanted to figure out how other couples perceive smart phone in their own
relationship.
My research embraces smart phones and romantic
relationships. I am trying to determine how couples use smart phones to
maintain their romantic relationships? I believe that couples use their smart
phones to reduce ambiguity and reinforce emotional attachment in the
relationship. This will show that even though there may be negatives to the
uses of cell phones, they are providing a huge support to the communication in
romantic relationships. Through my research and data I collected it will prove
my hypothesis to be accurate or not.
Literature
Review
Communication is key to any productive and
successful relationship. With the technological advancements that are apart of
our everyday lives, these tools can help strengthen the interpersonal
communication between partners in a relationship. There has been a great deal
of research done in cell phones and romantic relationships. Researchers have
shown they are used for relational maintenance and develop rules and attachment
styles.
Relationship maintenance behaviors are behaviors
used to improve and sustain a relationship. According to Stafford and Canary’s
(1991), relational maintenance consisted of five dimensions; positivity,
openness, assurance, networks, and shared tasks. The use of cell phones allows
for these five dimensions to become accomplished in a working relationship.
They allow for positive interactions, the ability to be open (which any
relationship wants), assurance that both partners want the relationship to
continue, networks to communicate with people, and shared tasks of what the two
partners may do. Not all dimensions are as important as the others, but through
the relationship partners create patterns depending on how it fits into their
relationship. Jin and Pena (2010), focus in on the importance of patterns in
romantic relationships, leading to higher use of cell phones. The use of
patterns creates that special and unique bond between the two partners.
Researchers have found that creating rules,
meaningful ways to understand the relationship communication, help to keep the
relationship upheld. Due to the intimacy created through the connection with
cell phones, partners develop expectations regarding usages and how often,
often known as rules (Duran, 2011). This could be when it may or may not be
acceptable to contact each other, when phones should be on, and the use of cell
phones while with each other. Miller-Ott (2012), agrees that talking about rules with partners gives the opportunity
to maintain control over constant expectation of contact and to avoid the
relational repercussions of managing calls and texts in ways that romantic
relational partners view as unacceptable. Rules vary depending on the
relationship type and the people involved in the relationship, but what’s key
is that it is something the two partners create together. Partners are straying
away from standard “norms”, and creating something that works for both
partners. This creates that connection and bond that relationships work off of.
Döring, N., & Dietmar, C. (2003),
focuses on the attachment styles of the partners within a relationship. There
are four classifications of attachment styles that partners can fall under:
secure, fearful, preoccupied, or dismissing. Depending on partners feels about
themselves and their partner directly relates to how they feel about their
relationship and the way in which they use their mobile device. A partner who
feels insecure about her/himself has a tendency to always want to know
where their partner is or what they are doing. On the other hand if a person
feels secure about themselves and their partner, they will feel secure about
their relationship and not so concerned with knowing exactly where their
partner is at all times because they trust them. These attachment styles and
feelings towards partners will also directly affect the communication between
the two. Partners in a more secure relationship tend to have more intimate
conversations than those who are insecure. There is a chain reaction present when
looking at how partners feel about each other, their attachment styles, and the
ways in which they communicate.
Method
To determine how couples use smart phones to
maintain romantic relationships; I used three separate methods to help conduct
my research. I sent out surveys, conducted one on one interviews, and also led
a focus group to assist me in my findings. Participants consisted of those who
are currently in a relationship or have been in one within the last six months.
Due to the recent advancements in technology, I wanted to get an accurate
reading of how couples use smart phones in their romantic relationship, which
is why it had to be a more recent relationship. Participant’s age and gender
varied depended on the method being used.
The first method being used in my research was
online surveys. This samples consisted of 68 females and 32 males, ranging from
18 to 64 years old. Questions in the survey varied from importance of cell
phones as a means of communicating with their partner, ranging from extremely
important to not important at all. To whether or not rules are present in their
relationship regarding cell phones, and if so, what are they. Through the
messaging system in Canvas I was able to distribute close to 800 surveys to
students in the Communication department and beyond. I simply stated a brief
summary of what my purpose was, followed by a link to my Survey Monkey page.
After just a few short days, I successfully received 100 completed surveys by
San Jose State students. Due to the popularity of my survey I was able to gain
valuable information for my research. I found that I was successful in getting
a lot of information due to the formation of questions being asked. I piloted
my surveys by physically passing out shorter versions of my current survey to
those I work with. After collecting these, I was able to determine if I
received the answers I was searching for. I ended up having to make a few edits
to certain questions, but this helped to lead me to success.
The second method being used was one on one
interviews. I conducted 6 interviews containing some of my closest friends and
family members. Choosing these people allowed for openness and honesty about a
topic that may be sensitive for some. I first piloted my interview questions
by meeting with my sister Mia, and asking her some initial questions that I
designed. I found myself having to explain more in detail about some of the
questions because they were not designed correctly. From that interview I was
able to redesign some questions in order for the interviewees to have a better
understanding. I began my real interview process on November 1st in
Hayward, CA at 6:00pm. Mia M. is twenty-four years old, in a serious/committed
relationship. My second interview took place on November 3rd at 6:00pm
in Pleasanton, CA. Fozia is twenty-five years old, and currently in a serious
relationship. My third interview took place on November 5th at
8:00pm in Hayward, CA. Tatiana S. is twenty-two years old, and was previously
in a serious/committed relationship. My forth interview took place on November
6th at 9:00pm in San Leandro, CA. Alyssa C. is
twenty-one years old, and was previously in a serious committed relationship.
My fifth interview took place on November 8th at
3:00pm in San Leandro, CA. Mario M. is twenty-four years old, currently in a
serious/committed relationship. My sixth and final interview took place on
November 10th at 7:00pm in Hayward, CA. Shanon
M. is fourty-five years old, and currently married. Some examples of questions
being asked during the interview process were how secure are you in your
relationship and do you and your partner have the same or different values,
perceptions, or behaviors about the appropriate use of cell phones in your
relationship. Again, deciding on people that I have known for a long time
allowed me to get honest answers that helped with my research.
The third and final method being used was a focus
group. I conducted my focus group on November 15th at 5pm
in Hayward, CA. I had a total of 6 participants consisted of friends, family,
and coworkers. For this method I was not as particular about the participants
that I chose, due to time constraints. Each member of the focus group had
either been in or was currently in a relationship. These members consisted of
Ron, twenty-five years old, Mario, twenty-four years old, Joe, twenty-six years
old, Fozia, twenty-five years old, Jen, twenty- three years old, and Adam,
forty-five years old. After showing them a quick video of images that we see
everyday in our life, I asked to get their reaction on the video. I also wanted
to know their opinions on what it is doing to our society. For this method I
was much more lenient about the structure, compared to the other methods that I
used.
Once I collected all of my data from my three methods, it was then time to code
all of that information. Coding allowed me to organize all of my data so that I
could see patterns or differences among participants. I began with t main
categories for codes these included: commitment, exchange of communication,
attachment styles, positivity, behaviors, and expectation. From these
categories I was able to narrow the topic down to get specific codes on the
information helped to answer my research question. Examples of specific codes
are rules and information exchange. For rules I found that most relationships
either don’t use or limit cell phone use while with their partner or don’t have
rules at all. For information exchange I found main reasons people use their
cell phones to communicate where they are, what they are doing, and when they
will see each other. Depending on couples specific situations they might
communicate more than that. Coding requires a lot of time, but results in
valuable and organized information.
Findings and Discussion
Throughout my methods of surveys, interviews, and a
focus group, I found that my hypothesis to be correct. The way couples use
their smart phones in their relationship is to reduce ambiguity and reinforce
emotional attachment. Much of my research findings applied almost directly to
the data that I collected.
People use mobile devices to maximize their needs,
resulting in new interaction patterns for communication. Partners will create
their own patterns depending on how it fits in their relationship. For example,
partners who frequently communicate through mobile devices throughout the day
feel closer, that is the interaction pattern that they have created (Jin &
Pena, 2010). Through the importance of cell phones, the creation of rules and
the frequency and favoritism of text messaging, people are creating their own
interaction patterns everyday. Together they determine how communication fits
into their relationship and smart phones assist them in doing that. 71% of
interviewees claimed that cell phones were either extremely important to very
important in communicating with their partner. Due to the business of everyday
life, this gives them the opportunity stay connected to one another when
they’re not actually together. In interviews, 50% of participants claimed that
their relationship would probably not work out without cell phone use. This is
due to the pattern that couples have from the beginning of their relationship.
Dean (2011), found that text messages were the
primary use of communication within serious relationships for both good and bad
reason. His examples stated that they were used in positive ways to show
affection, but also had a negative affect when it came to sensitive subjects
that may hurt a partners feeling. From the data that I collected, both
surveys and interviews, I found that it is true; text messaging was the main
form of communication between partners. One hundred percent of participants
showed that their use of text messaging completely out weighted that of voice
calling. When it comes to whether or not couples allow their phones to affect
them in a negative or positive way, most participants stated the more positive
side. Majority agreed that they do not discuss serious matters over the phone
via text or call; the conversation is more geared around where they are or what
they are doing. Text messaging allows partners to relay messages, which reduces
uncertainty in the relationship, but also can be an exchange of emotions which
helps bring the partners closer together.
Even though partners in a relationship may use
their cell phones for different reasons, Stafford and Canary’s (1991), explain
that maintaining a relationship consisted of five dimensions; positivity,
openness, assurance, shared tasks, and networks. The use of cell phones allows
for these five dimensions to become accomplished in a working relationship.
Through interviews and my focus group participants expressed at least two to
three of these dimensions. Almost all participants felt a positive reaction towards
cell phones in their relationship. This intern allowed for openness because
they were able to communicate about anything that they wanted. The constant
accessibility of connection also contributed to the allowance for openness and
assurance between partners about practically any subject. The one dimension
that every participant did mention was the communication of shared tasks.
Whether it was what partners were doing that day or when they worked, their
cell phones allowed for that to communicated. Many participants in the focus
group commented on the benefit of being in connected to everyone just with one
simple device. This creates networks between individuals and groups of people.
These five dimensions support the fact that smart phones help maintain romantic
relationships by reducing ambiguity.
Attachment styles were a huge finding and a great
relationship between facts and data. Döring, N.,
& Dietmar, C. (2003), stated that use of technology in a relationship
depends on how secure partners are in that relationships. The more secure
partners are, the less likely they are to depend and be attached to their smart
phones. Through interviews I found this to be completely true. I asked
interviewees to just give me a general overview of how secure they were with
their relationship and how secure their partner was. 66% of participants
claimed that they themselves were secure and 33% claimed that they were not
secure in their relationship. After determining whether or not they were secure
in their relationship I was able to get a better understand of how pleased they
were with cell phone satisfaction in their relationship. Those who were
insecure seemed to stress more and not be as happy with cell phone usage versus
those were secure. This allowed me to understand the relationship between cell
phone usage and partners attachment styles.
Duran (2011), emphasizes the importance of rules as a way to maintain behaviors
in a relationship. Miller-Ott (2012), also agrees and adds that it can avoid the relational repercussions of managing calls and
texts in ways that romantic relational partners view as unacceptable. From both
surveys and interviews I found that the most common rule is to either not use
their phone or to limit phone usage while with one another. In surveys 52%, and
in interviews 50% of participants claimed that either no phones or limited use
while together was a rule that they enforced. Other rules included
calling/texting when getting home, no texting other girls, allowing partner to
look through phone, or no rules at all. Those who did enforce the most common
rule, no phones or limited phone usage while together, claimed that it allowed
a stronger bond and connection between them while together. Due to the hectic
schedules that both partners had, the time that they spent face to face was
reserved for them exclusively.
In the end, smart phones help to maintain
communication throughout the romantic relationship. It has been shown that it
reduces ambiguity and reinforces the emotional attachment between partners.
They succeed at reducing ambiguity by having the opportunity to be in constant
communication with each other. No matter the location or time of day, they have
the accessibility to call/text one another. The reinforcement of emotional
attachment is met by allowing couples to create a unique bond of rules or
exchange of emotions through call or text, all because of their smart phones.
Limitations
and Future Research
I would not be very honest to my readers, along
with myself, to say that everything went perfect when doing this project. One
thing that I wish I had done differently was not to procrastinate as much. I
went into this project not really having a clue on all the things I needed to
do and instead of figuring it out right away, I waited a while until to get it
all organized. This served as a disadvantage to me because the time I spent
procrastinating could have been valuable time I spent working on my project.
Due to the amount of time I spent procrastinating,
I had to divide the time that I did have left among all the tasks that needed
to be done. A task that I was not able to put as much time and effort into, was
the planning process of the focus group. I went into the focus group with a
general idea of questions that I wanted to ask, thinking the conversation might
lead itself into great detail, but that wasn’t exactly the case. I was ended up
having to force answers out of participants and it made for a not so
comfortable environment. If ever do this type of research again, I will
dedicate more time into developing the plan for the focus groups and not wait
until the last minute.
Another aspect of my process that I would change is
having a better male ratio when it comes to the interviews. I thoroughly
enjoyed the interview process because that was the time I was able to spend one
on one with a participant and learn a lot about their relationship. I learned
the type of relationship that they had, how they used their smart phones, and
whether it created a negative or positive experience for their relationship. I
learned a lot about females and their side of the relationship, but there is
always another side to the relationship as well, the male. Getting more men’s
points of view would have given me a better understanding of both sides of the
relationship.
If I was to do this study again, I might think about focusing it strictly on
couples. This means that both the interviewing process and focus groups would
be partners in a relationship. For example when I interviewed I would interview
both partners at the same time, or if it were a focus group I would have about
4 couples there. I think that this would raise the emotion and type of
information that I would receive from participants and that data might lead me
to different results. Even though I am able to pick apart things I should have
done differently or do next time, I am pleased with the results I did provide.
References
Please place in alphabetical
order. Place an * next to all required scholarly sources.
*Dean, B. , Coyne, S. , Grant, D. , Iverson, B. ,
Stockdale, L. (2011) . "i luv
u:)!": A descriptive study of the media use of individuals in romantic
relationships. Family Relations 60(2) 150-162 Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/41236755
*Döring, N., & Dietmar, C.
(2003). Mediated communication in couple relationships: Approaches for
theoretical model[l]ing and initial qualitative findings. Forum: Qualitative
Social Research, 4(3), 14-27.
*Duran, R. , Kelly, L. ,
& Rotaru, T. (2011). Mobile phones in romantic relationships and the
dialectic of autonomy versus connection. Communication Quarterly, 59(1),
19-36.
*Jin, B. , & Pena, J.
(2010). Mobile communication in romantic relationships: Mobile phone use,
relational uncertainty, love, commitment, and attachment styles. Communication
Reports, 23(1), 39-51.
*Miller-Ott, A. E., Kelly, L., &
Duran, R. L. (2012). The effects of cell phone usage rules on satisfaction in
romantic relationships. Communication Quarterly, 60(1), 17-34.
*Stafford, L., & Canary, D. J. (1991). Maintenance strategies and
romantic relationship type, gender, and relational characteristics. Journal of
Social and Personal Relationships, 8, 217–242