Graduation Year

2015

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Reader 1

Stacey Wood

Reader 2

Judith LeMaster

Rights Information

© 2014 Caroline C. Davis

Abstract

The current study aims to analyze the nature and duration of the intimate relationship breakup experience for young adult males and females as a function of socially encouraged gender behavior and Facebook use. Seventy male and seventy female (ages 18-25) participants who have endured an intimate relationship breakup within the past year will complete three pencil and paper survey measures in a classroom setting. Participants will be asked a series of questions about their resulting emotionality and Facebook use post-breakup. The researcher anticipates a series of t-tests will reveal that in accordance with socially encouraged gender behaviors, females will report a longer duration of the breakup process, overall higher levels of emotionality, and more time spent monitoring the activity of an ex-partner on Facebook. Male participants will report higher levels of anger as a result of a breakup, and while both males and females will report Facebook interference in the coping process, females will report significantly higher levels of Facebook interference than male participants. The increased understanding of social media use and gender stereotypes in regards to an intimate relationship breakup suggest that both hold significant power in society, and may particularly encourage gender differences in dealing with such a breakup. Furthermore, the two may function in sync to dictate the breakup experience differently for males and females.

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