Publication Date

2016

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Manning, Jimmie

Degree Name

M.A. (Master of Arts)

Legacy Department

Department of Communication

LCSH

Online chat groups; Man-woman relationships--Computer network resources; Love--Computer network resources; Online dating; Interpersonal communication

Abstract

This study explored meaning making through visually based computer-mediated communication in long-distance romantic relationships using Relational Dialectics Theory. Data was collected through 35 qualitative individual interviews. Contrapuntal analysis was conducted to answer the two research questions posed in the study. In answer to RQ1, two proximal tensions were discovered from the data. Those tensions include independence versus connection and certainty versus uncertainty. In response to RQ2, two distal tensions were gleaned from the data including "out of sight, out of mind" versus "absence makes the heart grow fonder" and private versus public. Based on the research presented in this study, future directions for scholarship on the topic of long-distance romantic relationships are provided.

Comments

Advisors: Jimmie Manning.||Committee members: David Gunkel; Andrea Guzman.||Includes bibliographical references.

Extent

vi, 53 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

Download

Share

COinS