Maintaining Relationships on Facebook: Associations with Uncertainty, Jealousy, and Satisfaction

Existing research suggests that social networking sites (SNSs) allow romantic partners to maintain their relationships online. This study examined how relational maintenance behaviors associated with Facebook (FB) use were predicted by satisfaction, uncertainty, and FB jealousy. A survey was conducted sampling 281 undergraduates in a romantic relationship where both partners were active users of FB. The results revealed that when partners (a) perceived mutual and definitional uncertainty in their relationship they used more FB monitoring to maintain their relationship; (b) when partners reported future and definitional certainty they used more FB assurances and openness; (c) when partners experienced FB jealousy they used more FB positivity, openness, assurances, and monitoring; and (d) when partners were satisfied they used more FB positivity and assurances.