New Study Says Social Media Could Influence Likelihood of Divorce
For those of us who use computers regularly, tweets and Facebook posts that are a little bit too personal or too frequent are an everyday experience. However, could these seemingly innocuous posts actually lead to a divorce? A new study shows that users of sites such as Facebook and Twitter could be detrimental to a marriage than many people may think.
A study presented in CBS Sacramento found a statistically negative relationship between social media use and marriage happiness, meaning that as use of Facebook increased, contentment with marriage decreased. The study also demonstrates that as Facebook use increases, contemplation of divorce increases, and carefully notes that “correlation does not equal causation.” The sample of people that were studied, including where they were from, what age group they occupy, and other possible causes of divorce (as the article acknowledges) were not taken into account.
A number of inferences can be made from this study as to why social media may negatively affect marriage. As mentioned above, one of the probable issues that arises on social media and can break down a marriage is that of privacy. Sometimes, married individuals post information about their lives, such as dissatisfaction with their relationship, which may upset their spouse if seen. Even if a post is made in jest, or as an anonymous opinion on their relationship, it can be construed as inappropriate and disrespectful to the marriage. These posts are most commonly anonymous, as in not mentioning the name of a spouse, but can still be interpreted by a spouse as an invasion of privacy. Spouses should be able to trust each other to keep the details of their marriage between them, so it is understandable that Twitter or Facebook posts could ignite a dispute trust, and potentially lead to a break-up.
On the other hand, simply spending too much time on social media could, obviously, tear down a marriage. A spouse that is preoccupied with social media may begin to ignore their spouse, including shirking activities that the two once enjoyed, sex, communication, and general maintenance of themselves and the household. It is understandable why this could lead to unhappiness in marriage, as the marriage cannot survive if one or both spouses is constantly on social media and not plugged into their significant other and their needs.
So, though not everyone is obsessed with social media, or reckless with what they share with the world, it very well may be that keeping a marriage together is more difficult at this day in age. Technology is a huge part of most of our lives, as many of us may work from home via the internet, or at least depend on it for updates and emails pertaining to work. Aside from the internet, both spouses typically have demanding jobs in modern times, so finding quality time with your spouse as frequently as possible (and before you pass out after work) is a must. Despite the standard that social media may have set, face-to-face communication and intimacy in a marriage is key. To learn more about divorce in Arizona, contact an experienced attorney today.
