A recent study suggests that if you check your Facebook account too much, your marriage or other romantic relationship may suffer. This is the finding of researchers whose study is to be published in an upcoming Journal of Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking.
Georgia residents with Internet-related divorce questions may want to read on.
In a survey of 205 respondents, aged 18 to 82, 79 percent said they were in a romantic relationship. They also responded to questions regarding their use of Facebook and how or if that use had led to conflicts with their partners or spouses.
One of the study’s authors pointed to previous research suggesting that excessive Facebook use meant that the user was more likely to repeatedly check his or her partner’s posts, pictures and new friends. Research suggests that this constant monitoring could lead to jealousy if the monitored person is friends with former romantic partners.
Too much Facebook use could also lead to what the researcher called “emotional and physical cheating.”
In the most recent study, the researchers defined excessive Facebook monitoring as checking the site at least once an hour. The study also found that people in newer relationships were more likely to experience negative outcomes from excessive Facebook monitoring than people in longer relationships.
Of course, every relationship is different, just as every divorce is different. In an age predominated by technology and social media, there may be an increased likelihood for some people to encounter the bad behavior of their spouse. If this leads to thoughts of divorce, then it’s a good idea to be aware of what a marital split would mean in terms of property division, child custody and other matters related to Georgia family law.
Source: Huffington Post, “Facebook, Divorce Linked In New Study,” June 6, 2013
