Are social networks helpful or harmful in long-distance romantic relationships?

IMAGE:Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published monthly online with Open Access options and in print that explores the psychological and social issues surrounding... view more

Credit: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers

New Rochelle, NY, March 11, 2015--Social network sites such as Facebook play an important role in maintaining relationships, including romantic relationships, whether individuals are involved in a geographically close or long-distance romantic relationship. A new study that compares the relative importance of social networks and explores the role they play in helping to maintain a close-by versus a long-distance romantic relationship is published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking website until April 11, 2015.

In the article "The Use of Social Network Sites for Relationship Maintenance in Long-Distance and Geographically-Close Romantic Relationships," coauthors Cherrie Joy Billedo, Peter Kerkhof, and Catrin Finkenauer, VU University Amsterdam and University of the Philippines, describe differences in the intensity of use and the types of uses of social network sites between the two groups studied. They report how use of social network sites allows individuals to access information about, and monitor the activities of, romantic partners, and how that can be used to gauge a partner's involvement in the relationship and loyalty, with potentially positive or detrimental effects.

"Social network sites are used more frequently by those in long-distance relationships," says Editor-in-Chief Brenda K. Wiederhold, PhD, MBA, BCB, BCN, Interactive Media Institute, San Diego, California and Virtual Reality Medical Institute, Brussels, Belgium. "As long-distance relationships become more common, and continue to succeed, it becomes increasingly valuable to understand the role that technology plays in strengthening or damaging a romantic relationship."

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About the Journal

Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published monthly online with Open Access options and in print that explores the psychological and social issues surrounding the Internet and interactive technologies, plus cybertherapy and rehabilitation. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking website.

About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Games for Health Journal, Telemedicine and e-Health, and Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website.

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Are social networks helpful or harmful in long-distance romantic relationships?