Elizabeth McSpadden’s Three Minute Thesis
Communication in Relationships
With the amount of smartphone ownership and the frequency of text messaging among age groups, it is important to explore how text messaging is being used as a main form communication in romantic relationships. Communication is an influential factor on satisfaction levels in romantic relationships and individuals who identify with different attachment styles communicate differently. Quality (open and intimate) communication with a romantic partner predicts higher satisfaction levels within the relationship. When communication is open and intimate between romantic partners, it helps build and maintain the attachment bond. There is a connection between the quality of communication and the overall quality of a romantic relationship. Individuals with secure, avoidant, or anxious attachment styles communicate with their romantic partners differently. Anxious and avoidant attachment interpersonal dynamics are detrimental on relationship quality and satisfaction levels. Anxious and avoidant individuals tend to be passive-aggressive, express anger more, and seek validation from others. Romantic partners who are both securely attached tend to report greater productive communication when compared to partners who are either secure-insecure attached or insecure-insecure attached. Securely attached individuals self-disclose more and use direct communication. Therefore, exploring the way each romantic partner is communicating through text messaging and how it is effecting satisfaction levels from an attachment perspective would add to the literature in this research field.
