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Behind the relationship status
Amy Muise first heard about Facebook in class.
At the time she was a masters student in Family Relations & Human Development, specializing in human sexuality, at the University of Guelph. She was a teacher’s assistant for a second-year undergraduate course when students struck up a conversation about the social media site.
“I was so surprised how they started talking about Facebook creating issues in their romantic relationships,” recalled Muise, a sessional instructor who’s taught in Psychology, FCSS and EC at the University of Guelph-Humber since 2009.
She’s also a post-doctoral fellow at University of Toronto (Mississauga)’s psychology department.
Almost a decade after observing that outpouring from students, Muise will share details of her research in a talk, “Relationships on Facebook: It’s Complicated” on Monday February 13th. (Yes, the day before Valentine’s.) It’s the first in the University of Guelph-Humber’s Winter Lecture Series.
In her research Muise has focused on a particularly potent romantic complication.
“A lot of the common triggers of jealousy are the things we see on Facebook,” she said.
For example, being Facebook friends with a past partner. Or, reading a wall post from a stranger to one’s partner that reads, ‘it was great talking to you the other night.’
Muise found that men and women differed in some ways, such as the degree to which jealousy spurred an individual to seek out, or to avoid seeking out, further information on Facebook. There are differences when it comes to “need for social cognition” – concern over others’ perceptions of one’s relationship.
Moreover, said Muise, “We sort of merge identities” with our partners on Facebook. This may cause complications, such as jealousy, and other implications only being understood now.
And, online identity and experience as constructed on Facebook impacts the offline, a person’s actual or real life. “Things aren’t official until they’re posted on FB,” said Muise.
At various stages of her research, Muise has used focus groups, surveys and an experimental model mimicking Facebook.
Currently, she’s conducting a daily diary study at the University of Guelph-Humber, where 100 couples – with at least one member being a Guelph-Humber student – are recording their thoughts and feelings and allowing Muise and her team access to their Facebook profiles.
The participants have, on average, 300 Facebook friends. “Other people are contributing to your identity,” said Muise.
Muise received funding from the University of Guelph-Humber’s Research Grant Fund.
She has three Guelph-Humber Psychology students working as research assistants on the study. They are Sarah McCaffrey, Amanda Neves and Nasima Mehraban.
“I think it's important that academics like Prof. Muise are studying Facebook because so many young people have only ever been in romantic relationships while being on Facebook,” said McCaffrey by email.
The third-year student has helped with recruiting participants, tracking participation and providing “debriefing” information to students in the study.
Through this she’s learned the intricacies of research design.
“I have a better understanding of just how much work goes into creating a study and the many complexities that researchers have to take into account when doing their work,” said McCaffrey.
Muise may be ready to share some data from the daily diary study. “Hopefully I’ll have a slice of that for the talk.”
All University of Guelph-Humber students, faculty and staff are invited to attend Prof. Amy Muise's lecture, "Relationships on Facebook: It's Complicated," on February 13th, with a reception to follow, 1-3pm.
RSVP to academicservices@guelphhumber.ca.
Sean Flinn, Web Communications Specialist, 416-798-1331, ext. 6299, sean.flinn@guelphhumber.ca