How Does Social Media Affect Relationships?

28.06.2018

The Internet, computers, social networks – all these benefits of civilization, which were created to facilitate and brighten up lives of modern people, played a cruel joke on mankind. Previously, people wrote paper letters, sent them, and waited for an answer. Then a telephone came to replace a telegraph – people began to communicate more often with each other. Well, now the era of the Internet has come. There are various social media websites and they compete to provide the best opportunities for users. It is not so easy to find a person who doesn’t have a page in any social network. But is it so good as it seems at first glance? Are social media and romantic relationships compatible?

Social media destroys relationships: myth or reality?

How does social media affect relationships? They say that the Internet brings together. This is true. But as the network brings people together, it can also destroy relationships. Exchange of tips, videos, photos on the Internet, as well as hours of talk on Skype, in chat rooms – all this is very familiar to us. Unfortunately, this is just a temporary illusion, which we create ourselves because a social network is just a means for rapid transmission of messages and no more. Social media provokes excessive jealousy because you can never know what is really going on and there are always doubts. Moreover, many people are very negative about the presence of their loved ones in social networks (even if they met their soul mates there). And there are people who are online 24/7: they met with former classmates – they immediately uploaded a photo, they went on vacation – they also uploaded a photo just for everyone to see and envy, they walked with their soul mate on the boulevard – and an hour later, all the friends on the Internet knew about it...

People began to trust not those who are around but virtual strangers who often turn out to be very familiar after they talk a little. And there are fans of mass discussions of their personal lives – they are waiting for advice from virtual interlocutors. In general, social networks occupy almost all the time. Instead of spending time with a family and trying to strengthen relationships, we, on the contrary, discuss someone’s photos, giving more time to strangers than our loved ones. Social activity on the Internet makes people feel alienated from loved ones. Smartphones and tablets, in which a person can be online almost round the clock, have become an integral part of life. Many guys and girls really worry that their partners spend more time in social networks than with them.

Recent research has shown that one-third of all couples without children communicate through messengers and social networks more than in real life. Scientists interviewed 2000 adults in a relationship: most are very concerned about using smartphones by their partners. Every sixth person believes that his/her relationship is affected by the fact that a close person spends a lot of time on the Internet and literally “sticks” to the screen of a smartphone. Every fifth person realizes that he/she can’t delete all social networks, even when he or she understands their negative influence on pastime with a partner.

Moreover, the results of the research showed that an average couple has dinner together five times a week but, at the same time, a good half of people realize that they spend all this time in their phones. As a result, 75% of the participants in the experiment expressed a desire to spend more time with their loved ones, without being distracted by social media.

So, social media have both good and bad consequences for a relationship. On the one hand, it allows you to stay in touch with a soul mate all the time, on the other hand, there are some negative effects of social media on relationships. Also, it should be noted that a relationship that develops when two people get acquainted outside the social networks is stronger than a relationship that develops through the Internet. However, each medal has two sides and social life is not an exception. So, it is important to realize the good sides and consequences of using social media.

Positive effects of social media on relationships

Today it is difficult to find a person who doesn’t have a page in the social network. We can’t live a day without checking the social network and not placing a photo there. We share impressions from the watched films and performances, we tell about the exhibitions that we visited, we publish pictures of food from restaurants and selfies with friends. A group of researchers came to the conclusion that social networks help maintain relationships at a distance. Scientists have found that using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social networks helps lovers keep romantic relationships for a long time. However, such a large amount of Internet activity affects not only our relations with friends but also relationships within a family. But how social media affects relationships positively? Check it out:

1. Social networks unite people at a distance

Now it is impossible to imagine how difficult it was for people whose partners lived in other cities or countries before they started using Skype. It was expensive to talk on the phone and sending letters took a long time. Now everything is much simpler. At any convenient time, you can write to a partner in a chat or Skype and not only to hear his/her voice but also to see their face. And it will be quick and free.

2. Partners have a common leisure time

An amusing picture, a video or an article spreads with the speed of light, collects “likes” from around the world. A person sees something in the morning, quickly sends it to a soul mate, and in the evening, partners quote or discuss it.

3. It saves relationship at a distance

If lovers are far from each other for some reason, the use of social networks will help a couple keep a romantic relationship for a long time. Being at different ends of a country, continent or even the planet, couples maintain a relationship by means of messages which can be sent to each other almost at any time, given the current spread of the Internet and technology. In addition, a great number of photos, videos and music tracks circulate on the Web from one heart to another. Affecting relationships, social media creates a feeling of constant presence, which allows people to maintain and sometimes even save relationships.

4. People become happier

Among other things, posts related to relationships can signal that people are really happy. A study conducted on Facebook users in 2012 showed that people who uploaded photos where they were together with a loved one were more satisfied with a relationship than those who uploaded photos where they were alone. Psychologists say that if you feel joy and are ready to share it with the whole world, you shouldn’t restrain yourself. In fact, it’s always nice to see how people love each other even if it happens on the Internet. Plus, such photos or romantic posts can be seen by friends and parents of a couple and it definitely will cheer them up. Conclusion: there is nothing to worry about if you do it for the four of the listed reasons.

Negative effects of social media on relationships

Why does dependence on social networks destroy a relationship? Is it worth taking a virtual flirt seriously? In the new century, not all relationships pass through the test of social networks. Social networks are gaining more and more power over modern relationships. And while some joke with the phrases “what happened on Facebook remains on Facebook”, others believe that showing attention even through virtual “likes” is a real sign of betrayal. What signs can speak of an impending problem? How social media affects relationships negatively?

1. Friendship with an ex

A couple of clicks and once already lost contacts can be restarted again. Curiosity has not been canceled but is it worth returning to the once-passed relationship? Trying to find out what happened to an ex may not be understood by your current partner. Think what is more important to you: the past or the present?

2. Domination of virtual life

The desire to “check mail” can take away a good half of a family evening. And for trying to quickly see how many “likes” your last photo gets, the thread of conversation will easily disappear. This point perfectly demonstrates that sometimes lovers have to make really great efforts in order to return the attention. This is how social media ruins relationships. Watch yourself – when do you most often seek to get your phone? Why do you open a browser page even if you don’t need the Internet? Maybe a computer is an attempt to escape from conflicts? If so, you should close a laptop and face the problems honestly (even if this problem is a dependence on gadgets).

3. Blatant statuses

Despite the fact that Facebook often asks “What are you thinking about?” it’s not necessary to write everything that is in your head. Google remembers everything. It is also worth remembering that messages may become public, despite the “private” settings. So, if there is a desire to discuss the latest home scandal with friends on social networks, then it is better to do this in real life.

4. Public opinion

It remains a mystery why many people like to involve third parties in family conflicts. Yes, relationships are not always smooth and everyone must learn to solve problems independently. After all, negative experiences also make us more mature.

5. Flirting

How social media destroys relationships? Comments, “likes” under photos, random comments in other people’s conversations – in the last ten years, modern society has created many rules of virtual etiquette, which are gradually fixed. Is it worthwhile to add strangers to your social networks? How to perceive “likes” from a handsome colleague at work? How to flirt? In trying to determine the line between what is permissible and what is not, common sense should prevail. After all, flirting remains flirting.

6. Facebook doesn’t replace communication

One thing that most lovers complain about is that their soul mates get constantly connected to the Internet to know what is happening in the lives of others instead of having fun with each other. This can cause a breakup since a real contact is very important for maintaining relationships. That is why you have to spend a considerable amount of time with a loved one and limit the time spent on the Internet. If you solve current issues with your partner in chat and correspondence in social networks, you should begin to worry. If you live together and, at the same time, don’t find the time to be together, then it’s time to revise your schedule. After all, you have made a lot of efforts to create your little family. It is worth fighting for it.