The Romantic Influencer: A Review of Social Media’s Impact on Relationship Satisfaction

Abstract

Social media is a significant part of the modern human experience. It infiltrates every part of life. There is great value in understanding the nature of social media in every sphere of its influence, especially the romantic relationship. The general public has long been concerned over the suspected harmful impact of social media in relationships. This literature review synthesizes studies over the past decade on the relationship between social media usage and romantic relationship satisfaction. While many problematic outcomes have been found for romantic partners due to social media, other studies have shown positive effects. Most of these social media behaviors foster unintentional consequences, whether positive or negative. A few examples of negative social media influences include increased partner suspicion, conflict, and pressure. Ultimately, these produce lower levels of satisfaction. Benefits from social media’s inclusion in the life of a couple, such as easier communication and common interest building, were found to positively impact satisfaction. Additionally, this review interacts with unique studies on the impact of intentional social media abuses, including addiction and unfaithfulness. The overarching theme is the circular causality of romantic satisfaction. There are many interacting factors involved in social media’s use and the way it is perceived among partners. These must be studied in greater depth to truly capture social media’s pull in romantic relationships. In review of the literature, specific considerations toward sampling and measurement are noted. Opportunities for further research include employing new research methods and focusing on the impact of social media on the family system. These findings have the potential to improve the quality of therapy among professionals who work with couples. Public agencies can use such information to improve education and implement preventative measures in the social media arena. In this review, social media is referred to as SM for the sake of brevity.