Before you young kids, who have made social media like Facebook, Twitter et al as their second self. A latest study has warned that too much off Facebook can get the budding relationship off the track and even ruin it. So if you have just started dating someone, it may be wise to limit your time on Facebook! New couples who use Facebook excessively are far more likely to experience Facebook-related conflict which may lead to emotional and physical cheating, breakup and divorce, warns the study.
Russell Clayton, a doctoral student in the University of Missouri School of Journalism, along with Alexander Nagurney, an instructor at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, and Jessica Smith, a doctoral student at St Mary's University in San Antonio, surveyed Facebook users in the 18-82 age bracket. Participants were asked to describe how often they used Facebook and how much, if any, conflict arose between their current or former partners as a result of Facebook use. The researchers found that high levels of "Previous research has shown that the more a person in a romantic relationship uses Facebook, the more likely they are to monitor their partner's Facebook activity more stringently, which can lead to feelings of jealousy," Clayton said.
"Facebook-induced jealousy may lead to arguments concerning past partners. Also, our study found that excessive Facebook users are more likely to connect or reconnect with other Facebook users, including previous partners, which may lead to emotional and physical cheating," Clayton added.Clayton also found that this trend is particularly apparent in newer relationships. "These findings held only for couples who had been in relationships of three years or less. This suggests that Facebook may be a threat to relationships that are not fully matured," he said.
"On the other hand, participants who have been in relationships for longer than three years may not use Facebook as often, or may have more matured relationships, and therefore Facebook use may not be a threat or concern," he said. To prevent such conflict from arising, Clayton recommends couples, especially those who have not been together for very long, to limit their own personal Facebook use. "Although Facebook is a great way to learn about someone, excessive Facebook use may be damaging to newer romantic relationships," he said.
"Cutting back to moderate, healthy levels of Facebook usage could help reduce conflict, particularly for newer couples who are still learning about each other," he said.
