Falling Prey to Online Romantic Alternatives: Evaluating Social Media Alternative Partners in Committed Versus Dating Relationships

Abstract

Social media represents an integral platform that is currently used to maintain and develop new social connections including alternative romantic partners. Over engagement with online friends and pursuing alternative partners can potentially threaten the primary romantic relationship. In the present study, the author examined if the partners’ relationship status is a predictor of relationship satisfaction, quality of online romantic alternatives, online infidelity-related behaviors, social media addiction, and the total number of social networking sites (SNSs) accounts. In a cross-sectional study, romantic partners ( N = 578, 378 females and 200 males) completed a battery of self-report scales. The partners were divided into two groups based on their relationship status: Those who reported to be in a committed relationship ( n = 330) and those who reported to be in a casual dating relationship ( n = 248). Results revealed that there is a significant between-group difference in the way both groups evaluated the quality of potential alternative partners and level of SNSs addiction. However, there was no between-group difference in relationship satisfaction, SNSs infidelity behaviors, or the total number of SNSs accounts. The dating group reported significantly more sexual alternatives than the committed group. However, the number of potential committed alternatives was not significantly different between the two groups. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed.