Effects of Instagram and Text Messaging on Relationships Essay

Introduction

This study examines consequences associated with posting on Instagram. It deals with the ongoing problem of using social media and how people cannot live without it. Currently, it is strongly suggested that almost everyone uses the social networking services. In specific, it mainly focuses on people who are in a relationship using Instagram which includes both posting and other things associated with it. From the study, it is proven that there are more negative outcomes when posting selfies and photos on Instagram because it deals with one's satisfaction rate. These findings suggest that when Instagram users promote their body image satisfaction in the form of Instagram selfie posts, there is a high risk of Instagram related conflict and negative romantic relationship outcomes that might ensue. Findings from the current study provide a baseline understanding of potential and timely trends regarding Instagram selfie posting. From using Instagram, people have lower self-satisfaction rate by comparing oneself to others by only looking at what is posted online. This is the case for the relationships too. It makes people compare one's partner to others with body image and appearance. As a result, importance of posting in order to show other users got more important than what is the truth because picture conveys other users without knowing the truth. With this controversy, it led to many separations for people who are in romantic relationships because this takes over the importance of the relationship. The study suggests that there will be more problems associated with using Social Media Services in the future.

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Negative effects

Michelle Drouin and Carly Landgraff (2011) in their article "Texting, sexting, and attachment in college students' romantic relationships" Explain that there can be different types of texting even though it is done by using the same technology but the just different purpose and fulfillment of needs. In this article, it explores how texting and sexting are related to attachment style in college students who are committed to romantic relationships. There are participants involved in order to complete the survey to support the study. From the survey, the result concluded that texting and sexting are most common in young adults' relationships. It is found that texting is more common among those who are insecure attachments while sexting is more common in insecure attachments. It is clear that sexting is highly avoided among people who are insecure relationships in order to stay away from any problems that will initiate to interrupt their relationships in the future. With the findings, the study compares different types of texting to find out about different types of relationships that result in different communication style with different purposes. From two different texting styles, it is clear that the purpose is different. However, it clearly supports an idea that texting can be very helpful for people who are in relationships to encourage each other or to show their affection to each other. When it comes to texting, the purpose is to communicate in order to share thoughts and keep in touch but when it comes to sexting, its purpose is to fulfill one's needs by not limiting contents to lead imagination possible. The study also suggests the idea of a different partnership of ones who are committed in a secure romantic relationship and sexting partners. It is found that people can define sexting partners as just partners instead of categorizing themselves as being in a relationship.

In her article "Social Media's Effect on Relationships" Dr. Jane Greer talks about the social media and especially its effect on relationships with the question "Is Facebook helping or hurting your relationship?" There is a wide range of results concluding that using online is changing the way of a love life. The biggest problem that is associated with using social networking services is stalking, distrust, and jealousy. This study involves 205 Facebook users who are at high levels of using Facebook between ages of 18 and 82 being in relationships for less than 3 years. From the study, it is found that there are many people who are stalking others to compare their relationships to others. Also, because there are usually only positive things posted to portray 'perfect life', it leads to problems of being untruthful. Social media also can lead to cheating because it can be easily hidden. News involves interviewees too to clarify the issue. The interview also exemplifies how social media is affecting relationships and stresses on the fact that it is becoming a phenomenon. From multiple interviews, it is found that social media is playing a more negative role in intimate relationships because it leads to an idea that what is shown may not be true. However, in order to express a certain image that is shown in social media, people fake a smile on their posts to impress others. In this article, I noticed that social networks have made people break up and even the most solid relationships are shaken as people to compare different unions with their own. It can, therefore, conclude that social networks bring negative effects on relationships.

Positive Impacts

Jonathan Ohadi et al (2018) in their article explain that Young adults strongly rely on text messaging while on romantic relationships to maintain their relationships. By conducting a survey with 205 young adults in ages of 18 to 29, who are in romantic relationships, the study examines the role of texting between romantic partners to predict their satisfaction rate of the relationships. Research on text messaging in a romantic relationship has found different reasons for text messaging. Most common reasons are to communicate with romantic partners to express affection, to discuss serious issues, and to apologize. Also, it is found that particular language, specifically positive emotional words used in text messaging were associated with greater relationship satisfaction. In a sample of young adults who are in romantic relationships in the U.S, it is found that controlling for gender, length of relationship, and attachment anxiety and avoidance, greater perceived similarity between self and partner in overall text messaging use, and especially perceived similarity in frequency of initiating text message conversations and saying hello via text, were associated with greater relationship satisfaction. There are mixed feelings about texting and cell phones in general but especially when it comes to people who are in relationships. The article also talks about the negative impacts that could be 'distracting' features while communicating via text messaging between couples but it clearly shows positive sides too that texting could play a significant role in order to develop, keep, or ensure one's romantic relationship. I think text messages and Instagram chats have helped in bonding relationships and made it easier for couples to relate even when they are not close to each other.

Sonja Utz and Camiel Beukeboom (2011) in their article social network sites in romantic relations explore the role that the platform has played in people's affairs. The authors explain that Instagram and text messaging among other sites have led to jealousy among those who are in relationships. It is because when they look at the comments on the pages of their loved ones they feel threated by the comments that suggest affection from admirers. In Instagram when couples post photos on their pages they receive comments and in most cases their partners see them and this generates emotional feelings especially those that commend them positively. The authors argue that it has led to negative repercussions in relationships for instance break-ups amongst couples, mistrust among others. Texting has also led to negative effects as people flirt and share romantic jokes with those who are not their partners and when they have snoopy spouses demanding to know whom the other person. However, they argue that in most cases those partners who monitor their lovers are likely to encounter this kind of jealousy on Instagram and text message. Social media has made the world a global place and people can communicate within and outside their boundaries, it has therefore made people to build relationships that can lead to intimacy making and creating animosity among parties. I think that this source explores the facts that are associated with relationships where partners use social media such as Instagram and texting. It is true that it has led to negative effects such as jealous which eventually bring breakups in relationships. Message Texting and Instagram have therefore led to relationship break-ups among people, especially in the contemporary society.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is paramount to note that Instagram and text messages which are part of the social media platform have led to both positive and negative impacts on relationships. However, there are more negative impacts than positive. Relationships are broken and it leads to other issues such as depression, suicide among others. My knowledge and thinking on the topic has changed because initially, I thought that social media enhances relationships more than bringing harm to them but the articles clearly indicate that there are more negative implications of social media on unions that would have otherwise helped in bonding them. I, therefore, believe that the major cause of relationship breakup is social media. Similarly, I have learned that those people with stable and happy relationships avoid sharing them on social media while those that are insecure and have shaky relationships post them on the social platform. I, therefore, think that Instagram and texting have made people cheat in their relationships more than when the technology of this kind was not available. When I compare the current times with the past day's relationships no longer last and people have become desperate for genuine partners whom they cannot find. Social media has brought mistrust and people hiding behind faces that are not their own.

Works Cited

Jane Greer Fox News, Social Media's Effect on Relationships (2015) Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLfL1WmIl2A

Jonathan Ohadi et al I just text to say I love you: Partner Similarity and texting and relationship satisfaction (2018). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563217305125

Michelle Drouin and Carly Landgraff Texting, Sexting, and Attachment in College Students' Romantic Relationships retrieved from (2011) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563211002329

Sonja Utz and Camiel Beukeboom The Role of Social Network Sites in Romantic Relationships: Effects on Jealousy and Relationship Happiness (2011) Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2011.01552.x