Tara M. Emmers-Sommer

The Effect of Communication Quality and Quantity Indicators on Intimacy and Relational Satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the effect of communication quality and quantity indicators on relational satisfaction and intimacy. Individuals were asked to record all of their interactions with their same-sex friend or romantic partner on a daily basis for a week. A total of 79 participants took part in the study. Results indicated that communication quality indicators explained more variance in both relational satisfaction and intimacy than did communication quantity indicators; however, quantity indicators explained significant variance above and beyond quality indicators for intimacy. Regarding individual communication quality and quantity indicators, the communication quantity indicator of total time in face-to-face interaction related to experiencing intimacy in a relationship. The communication quality indicators of satisfaction with interactions, smooth, and activity related to experiencing relational satisfaction, as did the communication quantity indicator of the total number of face-to-face interactions. Conclusions are drawn regarding the impact of quality and quantity communication in close relationships.

Predictors of Relationship Satisfaction in Online Romantic Relationships

Based on traditional theories of interpersonal relationship development and on the hyperpersonal communication theory, this study examined predictors of relationship satisfaction for individuals involved in online romantic relationships. One hundred-fourteen individuals (N = 114) involved in online romantic relationships, and who had only engaged in computer-mediated communication (CMC) with their partners, completed an online questionnaire about their relationships. Intimacy, trust, and communication satisfaction were found to be the strongest predictors of relationship satisfaction for individuals involved in online romances. Additionally, perceptions of relationship variables differed depending on relationship length and time spent communicating. Implications for interpersonal and hyperpersonal communication theories, and future investigation of online relationships, are discussed.

The Connection Between the Physiological and Psychological Reactions to Sexually Explicit Materials: A Literature Summary Using Meta-Analysis

The results of the investigations providing data on the connection between measures of sexual arousal and positive psychological affect indicate a positive relationship whether measured directly (r=.212) or by a comparison of manipulation check data (r=.223). Female research participants demonstrate more negative emotional responses than men exposed to the same content (r=−.248), but the level of physiological arousal favors men by a much smaller magnitude (r=.134). The response to pornography on the basis of gender reflects not only a physiological difference in reaction but a psychological interpretation of that reaction as well.

Variables Related to Sexual Coercion: A Path Model

Using data gathered through a meta-analysis, this study tests a path model representing variables that relate to sexual coercion. Specifically, sex, attitudes toward women, past/current relationship, alcohol, coercion strategies, victim resistance, and rape justifiability were proposed and their effects examined. Results indicated that the level of actual or perceived coerciveness was a function of the level of coerciveness of the strategy, whether or not a prior relationship existed, whether alcohol was involved, if the victim resisted, if the rape was perceived as justifiable, and the attitude that person has toward women. The results suggest that determinations of whether a particular action is perceived as a rape or coerced depend on the attitudes of the person making the evaluation and the perception of the situation. Personal and social implications of these findings are discussed.

First Date Sexual Expectations: The Effects of Who Asked, Who Paid, Date Location, and Gender

This investigation examined the effects of who asked, who paid, date location, and gender on first date sexual expectations and related attitudes. Participants from a large southwestern university in the United States reported that men hold higher first date sexual expectations than women, particularly when men asked and paid for the date and the date occurred at an apartment versus the movies or restaurant. When women asked and paid for the date and the date occurred at her apartment, men hold higher rape myth acceptance beliefs than when the man asked and paid for the date or when either sex asked for the date and the partners “went dutch” on expenses. Additional sexual- and gender-related findings, discussion, and implications follow.

Reactions of Criminal Sexual Offenders to Pornography: A Meta-Analytic Summary

This chapter provides a summary of existing data on the impacts of pornography for a specially defined sample. The studies included were studies that used only criminal sexual offenders, either incarcerated or in treatment. The findings indicate no difference in the frequency of consuming sexually explicit materials (r = -.05) between criminal sexual offenders and noncriminal controls. However, criminal sexual offenders were more likely to use pornography prior to engaging in sexual behaviors (r = .23) than were noncriminal controls. Physiological measures of arousal indicate that although sexual offenders are generally more aroused by such material (r = .15), the correlation increases dramatically when the content of the material is matched to the crime committed by the individual (r = .48). The findings illustrate that it is the reaction to and function of the mass media material, not the frequency of consumption, that differentiates criminal sexual offenders from noncriminal controls.

The Impact of Internet Technologies on Primary and Secondary Romantic Relationship Development

This study examined the impact that changes in Internet-based technologies have on romantic relationships developed exclusively online. Thirty-six participants completed the 44-item Online Relationships Questionnaire. Participants were then divided into three categories based on self-reported media preference: asynchronous text, synchronous text, and rich media. No significant differences existed on measures of relational confidence or intimacy based solely on media selection. Participants utilizing the Internet to maintain a secondary romantic relationship reported higher levels of relational certainty and greater expectations of future interaction with their online partner than participants involved exclusively in online relationships (i.e., the online relationship was the participants only romantic relationship).

Perceptions of relational interdependence in online relationships: The effects of communication apprehension and introversion

This study examined the effects of communication apprehension and introversion on perceptions of relational interdependence in online relationships. Results indicated that communication apprehension (CA) was positively related to perceptions of relational interdependence in an online relationship. A negative relationship was found between introversion and perceptions of relational interdependence in the online relationship. Findings suggest that much‐studied communication constructs in face‐to‐face relationships extend to relationships in the online environment.

Reasons for (Non)engagement in Infidelity

This investigation examined reasons for (un)faithfulness. Driven by interdependence theory, data from 220 undergraduates at a southwestern U.S. university indicate that men have more relational alternatives than women and individuals’ relational investments tied to relational stage as well as length of relationship. Significant predictors of infidelity among men and women are quality of alternatives, believing that sex occurs early in a relationship, and having been cheated on (applied to men only). Quality of alternatives predicted cheating among seriously dating individuals, whereas marrieds reported the strongest predictor of cheating as being cheated on. Fear of sanctions related to cheating but not to commitment. Legal sanctions motivated monogamy for men but not women. Participants reported over 500 reasons to remain faithful and over 1,000 reasons to cheat.

Reducing dating anxiety: A meta‐analysis

A meta‐analysis was used to summarize the existing research on methods of reducing heterosexual dating anxiety. Twenty studies were identified as relevant for this analysis. The average positive effect (r = .336) demonstrates that intervention techniques successfully reduce dating anxiety and increase the dating behavior of the participants. The implications of this finding for issues surrounding the link between communication competence and sexual coercion/date rape are discussed.