Online Communication Attitude Similarity in Romantic Dyads: Predicting Couples' Frequency of E-Mail, Instant Messaging, and Social Networking Site Communication

Abstract

Following the interaction enjoyment approach (Burleson & Denton, 1992), this investigation examined whether (a) romantic couples possess similar online communication attitudes and (b) such attitudes predict frequency of email, instant messaging, and social networking site communication between dyad members. Results indicated couples possessed similar attitudes toward online social connection but not online self-disclosure; moreover, couples' attitudes predicted media use in a communal pattern, with equivalent actor and partner effects. Attitude toward online social connection positively predicted all forms of online communication, with attitude toward online self-disclosure positively predicting social networking site communication and inversely predicting e-mail communication. One implication of these results is that relational context may moderate the extent to which individual attitudes predict media use patterns.