Eastern Michigan University
The use of TikTok for relationship maintenance: An exploratory study
Abstract
dc:description.abstract<p>The recent boom in popularity of the social media app TikTok has provided more opportunities for users in a committed relationship to express their love to their partner through features such as video sharing, tagging, or creating content together. The purpose of this study is to learn how romantic partners use TikTok to support relationship maintenance; in addition, this study draws on research related to the five love languages to gauge how romantic partners express their love for each other using TikTok. Interviews with eight individuals involved in long-term romantic relationships revealed how TikTok assists with relationship maintenance. Six themes emerged from the interview data showing that romantic partners use TikTok for self-disclosure, meta communication, activity planning, connection, convenience, and humor. In addition, respondents explained in detail how four of the five love languages are satisfied and expressed via TikTok.</p>
Degree
thesis:*- Name thesis:degree_name
- Master of Arts (MA)
- Level thesis:degree_level
- Open Access Thesis
- Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
- Communication, Media and Theatre Arts
- Year dc:date.available
- 2022
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Nemes, Shannon
- Contributors dc:contributor
-
- Jeannette Kindred, Ph.D., Chair
- Jamie Ward, Ph.D.
- Dennis O’Grady, Ph.D.
Subjects
dc:subject × 5Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- Repository record dc:identifier
- https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1168
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-2541