Facebooking is certainly the perfect way to re-connect with old friends. But the social networking site also turns you green with jealousy when you find your beau`s friends list includes his ex-girlfriends.
|Last Updated: Feb 15, 2010, 09:25 AM IST|Source: Bureau
Washington: Facebooking is certainly the perfect way to re-connect with old friends and make new ones. But the social networking site also turns you green with jealousy when you find your boyfriend`s friends list includes his ex-girlfriends.
Now, human sexuality researcher and PhD candidate at the University of Guelph in Canada, Amy Muise, has explained how Facebook contributes to relationship jealousy, reports Discover News.
1. It`s Addictive
"Curse that Mark Zuckerberg for creating this online crack! No matter how you try to fight it, Facebook keeps calling you back... and that`s the problem.
The more time people spent on Facebook they more jealous they were. Even after Muise`s experiment controlled for factors of trust, self-esteem, and relationship commitment, "... time spent on Facebook was still a significant predictor of the experience of jealousy," Muise said.
It`s a strange concept, but if you want to avoid some of the jealousy in your relationship, you`ll have to give Facebook a bit of a rest.
2. It`s Too Easy to Reconnect with Ex
"Even though she told you she was still really close with her ex-boyfriend before you started dating, you didn`t think you`d be seeing his picture on her wall more than your own! While it may be frustrating, you`re not alone. Muise found that over 80 percent of Facebook users add previous romantic or sexual partners. Before Facebook, if your girlfriend wanted to communicate with her ex you didn`t have to know about it, now it`s there for you and all her other friends to see."
3. It Over-Informs
"In this information age not even relationships are spared. Gone are the days when lipstick on the collar was the only sign your mate was being unfaithful. Now the information practically comes to you. All you have to do is log on. The "tagged" pictures, the "liked" statuses, and the shared plans for this weekend could all potentially trigger feelings of jealousy."
"Facebook is a forum that can expose individuals to more information about their partner than they may otherwise have access to." Muise said.
"In addition, Facebook allows you to monitor your partner`s activities without being detected. With other social networking sites, you`d need a password to see all that Facebook tells you for free."
4. It Appeals to Women, to Their Chagrin
"If you think your girlfriend hasn`t seen something on your Facebook profile, you`re wrong. Not only has she seen it, she`s already become enraged, discussed it with her girlfriends and is waiting to confront you about it. Sorry ladies, but those two X chromosomes don`t work in your favor when it comes to Facebook. While Muise and her colleagues found that women are not more jealous than men, they did find that women spent more time on Facebook than men. Which means their relationship jealousy was more likely to be ignited by Facebook than a man`s."
5. It May Just Be You
"Before you blame all of your failed relationships on Facebook, just wait. If you thought your kindergarten girlfriend was cheating on you because she shared her chips with another boy in your class, the green-eyed monster may just reside in your DNA. At the end of the day Muise and her colleagues recognized that other factors like the dynamic of the relationship and one`s own propensity towards jealous behavior could also make them Facebook jealous."
ANI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.