Impact Of Social Media On Relationships

What is social media? Social media is a source on the internet where people can communicate with family and friends anywhere in the world. Also, it is a great way for people to earn money by promoting their businesses reaching the certain demographics needed for their products. The popular social media platforms today are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. But as technology grows more and more platforms are created. For example, video game consoles like Xbox have twitch, where you can stream live action footage of the games people play online. These platforms help people stay connected with friends and family. People can also build new relationships through social media sites. Moreover, people use social media as a source of income and further their businesses gaining followers or having people purchase things from them. Social media can improve or harm relationships therefore this paper will determine the answer. The argument will be displayed from both sides of the question with analysis of reasoning and supporting evidence of each side.

Social Media can Improve Relationships

One of the articles I have found in the Ashford University library is how social media can improve relationships. The article is titled “Helpful or harmful? Exploring the impact of social media usage on intimate relationships”. This article proclaims social media helps build and maintain relationships, share information, and basically have fun (Whiteside, Aleti, Pallant, & Zeleznikow, 2018). The article focuses it research in Australia that social media can have positive outcomes for intimate relationships and individuals.

Premise 1: “Specifically, they posit that increasing the ‘amount of communication with a partner’s network’ will reduce uncertainty and enhance the stability of a relationship” (Whiteside, Aleti, Pallant, & Zeleznikow, 2018).

Premise 2: “Social media provides another channel via which partners can engage with one another and their extended group of family and friends” (Whiteside, Aleti, Pallant, & Zeleznikow, 2018).

Premise 3: “Advances in social media technology allow people to stay connected with their loved ones no matter where they are located” (Nongpong & Charoensukmongkol 2016).

Conclusion: “The literature indicates that social media use can have a helpful or harmful impact on intimate relationships. Our findings extend this body of knowledge, showing that how you use social media and who you use social media to connect with plays a key role in relationship satisfaction” (Whiteside, Aleti, Pallant, & Zeleznikow, 2018).

Defense for Social Media Improving Relationships

The article I found while conducting the research shows why social media can improve relationships. A lot of relationship is in the form of what is called long-distance. Since being in a long-distance relationship, it is hard to physically be next to your significant other. The use of social media and the advancement of technology helps couple communicate from anywhere in the world. Facebook allows couples to “FaceTime” each other through a camera phone or on the computer. Couples can see each other’s faces instead of talking on the phone. The constant communication helps build trust in a relationship which people look for is stability of knowing their it could last until they are together again. “Social media provides utilitarian benefits as it allows users to keep up to date with activities and preferences of friends or connections” (Whiteside, Aleti, Pallant, & Zeleznikow, 2018). Social media usage is an issue that can improve or hinder relationships. The premises are a strong and valid points of view of how social media can improve relationships. All the premises are great examples of how people feel stable in their relationships due to social media. Trust in a relationship is vital to a healthy one and for those who are in a long-distance relationship rely on social media to keep their relationships strong. That’s part of the saying “happy wife, happy life.”

Social Media can Harm Relationships

The other article I found is also from the Ashford library called “I Don’t Care Much as Long as I Am Also on Facebook: Impacts of Social Media Use of Both Partners on Romantic Relationship Problems” by Santika Nongpong and Peerayuth Charoensukmongkol. This article is about how social media usage impacts relationships and causes of the relationship problem.

Premise 1: “Relationship problems inevitably arise when individuals spend an excessive amount of time on social media” (Nongpong & Charoensukmongkol 2016).

Premise 2: “The conceptualization of social media use in this sense also involves the tendency of individuals to pay more attention to activities in social media than paying attention to their partners during the activities they normally do together” (Nongpong & Charoensukmongkol 2016).

Premise 3: “In love relationships, being overwhelmed by social media use may cause individuals to care less about their partners while being together” (Nongpong & Charoensukmongkol 2016).

Premise 4: “The feeling of being ignored by a loved one who is obsessed with social media can cause a partner to feel lonely” (Nongpong & Charoensukmongkol 2016).

Conclusion: The article has proven that a person who excessively use social media while being with their significant other could cause relationship problems because it displays inappropriate behavior.

Defense for Social Media Harming Relationships

The article reasoning provides a strong case against excessive social media usage and the impacts it can have on relationships. The premises listed above are powerful examples of how a person overly using social media makes their significant others feel in the relationship. The author of the article explains how it make the other person feel based on the perception of using social media all the time. People feel lonely and become jealous of why their partners use social media rather than spend quality time with them. Couples would feel less appreciated when they are neglected by their partners. Too much time spent on social media tend to cause people to behave in unacceptable manner. Allowing them to connect with past relationship and communicate with past partners. Which they could engage in inappropriate relations and possibly commit infidelity. “Regardless of who uses social media more or less intensively than the other, in the end, this behavior inevitably impairs the perception of relationship quality. Therefore, it is important for individuals to beware of their own social media use when they are with their loved ones in order to avoid the negative consequences that might follow” (Nongpong & Charoensukmongkol 2016).

Analysis of Reasoning for Both Sides

While conducting the research on the effects social media has on relationship, I’ve learned a great deal on this topic. The reasoning helped me understand social media from both points of view. I always knew social media was no good in my opinion. I know there is good aspects to social media but the way people use it now and days is not good for society. From experience I have seen how social media can have a negative and positive outlook on relationships. From the first article I was researching mentioned how couples could use social media to connect with each other while in a long-distance relationship. This benefit will give couples that stability in their relationship while distant from each other. The steady stream of communication is needed for a healthy relationship. On the other side of the argument shows more negative aspect of how social media can affect relationships. Feeling ignored in a by your partner is never healthy in a relationship. Those who spend more time on social media and not enough time with their significant other can make them feel unwanted. Both sides of the argument have premises which supports each of them. Which have all the premise supports the truth in the conclusion of the argument. I feel that the negative impacts of social media presented by article “I Don’t Care Much as Long as I Am Also on Facebook: Impacts of Social Media Use of Both Partners on Romantic Relationship Problems” makes a stronger case than the other article. The reason I feel that it does because of the examples brought up in the articles are serious issues and could really harm a relationship. “The results from the partial least squares regression indicated that individuals who perceived that their partners used social media excessively tended to report a higher perception of lack of caring, loneliness, and jealousy. However, only lack of caring was found to be the key reason that significantly explained the intention to break up”(Nongpong & Charoensukmongkol 2016). “In addition, the analysis of the moderating effect revealed interesting evidence showing that the perception of relationship problems associated with social media use of own partners appeared to be more severe for the respondents who reported that they used social media less intensively than their partners”(Nongpong & Charoensukmongkol 2016).

Conclusion

After completing research, I found out more information that better proves that too much social media usage can harm relationships. Social media is a great tool to communicate especially with loved ones far away. But while can also cause issues with your partner if you are not showing them the attention they need. For critical thinkers I would develop a plan to counteract the negative impacts of too much social media usage. Take time away from social media or even deactivate your account to put your focus towards something else. Also, while on social media include your partner so they don’t feel left out. Finally, use social media to your advantage and look for ways to do something nice for your significant other. Therefore, after reading more information it is important that people become aware of social media use while they’re with their partners to avoid the negative consequences it could have.

Reference

1. Manning, K. The impacts of Online Social Net. Retrieved from http://www.mckendree.edu/academics/scholars/issue13/manning.htm
2. Naomi, W., Torgeir, A., Jason, P., & John, Z. (2018). Helpful or harmful? Exploring the impact of social media usage on intimate relationships. Australasian Journal Of Information Systems, Vol 22, Iss 0 (2018), (0), doi:10.3127/ajis.v22i0.1653
3. Nongpong, S., & Charoensukmongkol, P. (2016). I don’t care much as long as I am also on Facebook: Impacts of social media use of both partners on romantic relationship problems. The Family Journal, 24(4), 351-358. doi:10.1177/1066480716663199
4. Tang-Mui, J., & Chan-Eang, T. (2017). Impacts of Social Media (Facebook) on Human Communication and Relationships : A View on Behavioral Change and Social Unity. International Journal Of Knowledge Content Development & Technology / International Journal Of Knowledge Content Development & Technology, 27.