Couple boundaries for social networking in middle adulthood: Associations of trust and satisfaction

Aaron M. Norton; Joyce Baptist

doi:10.5817/CP2014-4-2

Couple boundaries for social networking in middle adulthood: Associations of trust and satisfaction

Vol.8,No.4(2014)

Aaron M. Norton Joyce Baptist

https://doi.org/10.5817/CP2014-4-2

How to Cite:

Norton, A. M., & Baptist, J. (2014). Couple boundaries for social networking in middle adulthood: Associations of trust and satisfaction. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 8(4), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.5817/CP2014-4-2

HTML

Abstract

The present study examined married individuals’ boundaries and rules for online social networking and the relationship between these boundaries and relational trust and satisfaction. Participants included 205 married individuals who had been married for an average of 27 years (mean age = 51 years). Five specific boundaries were identified and tested using multiple sample structural equation modeling. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed two latent constructs for Internet boundaries: Openness and Fidelity. Trusting one’s partner, but not relationship satisfaction, was linked with behaviors that reflect sharing online social networking information, and decreased behaviors were associated with online flirting and relationships with former romantic partners. Trust was more strongly associated with men’s than women’s motivation to avoid flirtatious online interaction and communicating with former romantic partners online. These results indicate that the use of Internet boundaries is highly related to trust and also support the development theory of trust.

Keywords:
boundaries; couple relationships; marriage; social networking; trust

Author biographies

Aaron M. Norton

Aaron M. Norton, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor, Department of Family Sciences, at Texas Woman’s University. He has presented multiple times at national conferences for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and for the National Council on Family Relations. His research interests are in couple relationships and technology mediated communication.

Joyce Baptist

Joyce Baptist, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor, School of Family Studies and Human Services at Kansas State University. Her main research areas include cross-cultural research on relationship maintenance and conflict among emerging adults and long-term marriages, resiliency in military families and marginalized groups.

References

Anderson, J. R., Van Ryzin, M. J., & Doherty, W. J. (2010). Developmental trajectories of marital happiness in continuously married individuals: A group-based modeling approach. Journal of Family Psychology, 24, 587-596. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020928

Arbuckle, J. L. (2009). Amos 18 user's guide. Chicago, IL: SPSS.

Boon, S. D., & Holmes, J. G. (1991). The dynamics of interpersonal trust: Resolving uncertainty in the face of risk. In R. A. Hinde & J. Groebel (Eds.), Cooperation and prosocial behavior (p. 190-211). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Brenner, J., & Smith, A. (2013). 72% of online adults are social networking site users. Pew Internet & American Life Project. Retrieved from http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/social-networking-sites.aspx

Butler, M. H., Harper, J. M., & Seedall, R. B. (2009). Facilitated disclosure versus clinical accommodation of infidelity secrets: An early pivot point in couple therapy. Part 1: Couple relationship ethics, pragmatics, and attachment. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 35, 125-143. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2008.00106.x

Butler, M. H., Seedall, R. B., & Harper, J. M. (2008). Facilitated disclosure versus clinical accommodation of infidelity secrets: An early pivot point in couple therapy. Part 2: Therapy ethics, pragmatics, and protocol. American Journal of Family Therapy, 36, 265-283. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926180701291253

Campbell, L., Simpson, J. A., Boldry, J. G., & Rubin, H. (2010). Trust, variability in relationship evaluations, and relationship processes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99, 14-31. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019714

Canary, D. J., & Stafford, L. (1994). Maintaining relationships through strategic and routine interactions. In D. J. Canary & L. Stafford (Eds.), Communication and Relationship Maintenance. (pp. 3-22). New York: Academic Press.

Chan, D. K., & Cheng, G. H. (2004). A comparison of offline and online friendship qualities at different stages of relationship development. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 21, 305-320. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407504042834

Cheung, G. W., & Rensvold, R. B. (2002). Evaluating goodness-of-fit indexes for testing measurement invariance. Structural Equation Modeling, 9, 233-255. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15328007SEM0902_5

Darvell, M. J., Walsh, S. P., & White, K. M. (2011). Facebook tells me so: Applying the theory of planned behavior to understand partner-monitoring behavior on Facebook. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 14, 717-722. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2011.0035

Duba, J. D., Kindsvatter, A., & Lara, T. (2008). Treating infidelity: Considering narratives of attachment. The Family Journal, 16, 293-299. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480708323198

Duggan, M., & Smith, A. (2013). Social media update 2013. Pew Internet & American Life Project. Retrieved from http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Social-Media-Update.aspx

Duran, R. L., Kelly, L., & Rotaru, T. (2011). Mobile phones in romantic relationships and the dialectic of autonomy vs. connection. Communication Quarterly, 59, 19-36. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463373.2011.541336

Elphinston, R. A., & Noller, P. (2011). Time to face it! Facebook intrusion and the implications for romantic jealousy and relationship satisfaction. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 14, 631-635. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2010.0318

Fife, S. T., Weeks, G. R., & Gambescia, N. (2008). Treating infidelity: An integrative approach. The Family Journal, 16, 316-323. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480708323205

Fleeson, W., & Leicht, C. (2006). On delineating and integrating the study of variability and stability in personality psychology: Interpersonal trust as illustration. Journal of Research in Personality, 40, 5-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2005.08.004

Fletcher, G. J. O., Simpson, J. A., & Thomas, G. (2000). The measurement of perceived relationship quality components: A confirmatory factor analytic approach. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26, 340-354. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167200265007

Fowers, B. J., & Olson, D. H. (1993). ENRICH marital satisfaction scale: A brief research and clinical tool. Journal of Family Psychology, 7, 176-185. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.7.2.176

Fox, S., & Rainie, L. (2014). The web at 25. Pew Internet & American Life Project. Retrieved from http://www.pewInternet.org/2014/02/25/the-web-at-25-in-the-u-s

Goldberg, M. (1982). The dynamics of marital interaction and marital conflict. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 5, 449-467. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0193-953X(18)30852-9

Gordon, K. C., Baucom, D. H., & Snyder, D. K. (2004). An integrative intervention for promoting recovery from extramarital affairs. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 30, 213-231. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2004.tb01235.x

Helsper, E. & Whitty, M. (2010). Netiquette within married couples: Agreement about acceptable online behavior and surveillance between partners. Computers in Human Behavior, 26, 916-926. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2010.02.006

Hertlein, K. M., & Blumer, M. L. (2013). The couple and family technology framework: Intimate relationships in a digital age Brunner-Routledge.

Hertlein, K. M., & Piercy, F. P. (2006). Internet infidelity: A critical review of the literature. The Family Journal, 14, 366-371. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480706290508

Holmes, J. G. (1991). Trust and the appraisal process in close relationships. In W. H. Jones, & D. Perlman (Eds.), Advances in personal relationships (pp. 57-104). Oxford, England: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Holmes, J. G., & Rempel, J. K. (1989). Trust in close relationships. In C. Hendrick (Ed.), Close relationships. Review of personality and social psychology, Vol. 10 (pp. 187-220). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Karney, B. R., & Bradbury, T. N. (1997). Neuroticism, marital interaction, and the trajectory of marital satisfaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72, 1075-1092. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.72.5.1075

Kerkhof, P., Finkenauer, C., & Muusses, L. D. (2011). Relational consequences of compulsive internet use: A longitudinal study among newlyweds. Human Communication Research, 37, 147-173. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2010.01397.x

Klacsmann, A. N. (2008). Recovering from infidelity: Attachment, trust, shattered assumptions, and forgiveness from a betrayed partner's perspective. ProQuest.

Kline, R. B. (2011). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (3rd ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.

Lewicki, R. J., & Bunker, B. (1995). Trust in relationships: A model of trust development and decline. In B. Bunker & J. Rubin (Eds.), Conflict, cooperation and justice (pp. 133-173). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

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. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463373.2012.642263

Minuchin, S. (1974). Families and family therapy. USA: Harvard University Press.

Muthén, L.K., & Muthén, B.O. (1998-2010). Mplus user’s guide (6th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Muthén & Muthén.

Riva, G. (2002). The sociocognitive psychology of computer-mediated communication: The present and future of technology-based interactions. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 5, 581-598. https://doi.org/10.1089/109493102321018222

Schneider, J. P. (2003). The impact of compulsive cybersex behaviours on the family. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 18, 329-354. https://doi.org/10.1080/146819903100153946

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. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407591082004

Tallman, I., & Hsiao, Y. (2004). Resources, cooperation, and problem solving in early marriage. Social Psychology Quarterly, 67, 172-188. https://doi.org/10.1177/019027250406700204

Thieme, A. L. (1997). Relationship rules that guide expressions of love and their connection to intimacy, dominant dialectical moments, and love ways. ProQuest Information & Learning. Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences, 57(12-A), 4984-4984. (Electronic; Print). (1997-95011-036)

Whitty, M. T. (2008). Liberating or debilitating? An examination of romantic relationships, sexual relationships and friendships on the net. Computers in Human Behavior, 24, 1837-1850. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2008.02.009

Woolley, S. & Gold, L. (2010). Healing affairs using emotionally focused couple therapy. American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Zak, A. M., Gold, J. A., Ryckman, R. M., & Lenney, E. (1998). Assessments of trust in intimate relationships and the self-perception process. The Journal of Social Psychology, 138, 217-228. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224549809600373

Zickuhr, K. (2013). Who’s not online and why. Pew Internet & American Life Project. Retrieved from http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Non-internet-users.aspx

Zickuhr, K. & Smith, A. (2012). Digital differences. Pew Internet & American Life Project. Retrieved from http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Digital-differences.aspx

Metrics