Managing Relational Transgressions as Revealed on Facebook: The Influence of Dependence Power on Verbal Versus Nonverbal Responses

Abstract

Dependence power is defined by the control a less dependent partner is perceived to have by the more dependent individual in a close relationship. Guided by assumptions about dependence power, we examined how individuals manage perceived relational transgressions by partners on Facebook, distinguishing between face-to-face responses versus those that are expressed nonverbally (through monitoring or maintenance behaviors) on the site. Participants included 290 females and 210 males in a dating relationship who completed measures of dependence power and Facebook use. Participants then viewed a screenshot reflecting a hypothetical Facebook partner transgression that varied by potential threat (high versus low). Finally, participants completed measures of perceived threat and a measure of responses to the transgression (monitoring and maintenance). Dependence power was associated with perceptions of the threat of a transgression, the likelihood of confronting a partner face-to-face about the perceived transgression, and engaging in Facebook monitoring behavior after a perceived transgression. Dependence power was not significantly associated with maintenance responses.