All those happy couples you hate-follow? They might be onto something.
A new study has found that people who boast about their relationship on social media – Facebook, specifically – are more likely to stay together.
The study, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, tracked 180 graduates in relationships, initially asking them questions on their level of commitment and length of their relationship.
They were then asked to log in to their Facebook accounts, so researchers could see how many photos the participants had posted with their significant others, and if they had changed their status to ‘in a relationship’.
Researchers also asked the students how many times each person in the couple had written on the other’s timeline in the last month, and the number of mutual Facebook friends they shared*
*Annoyed, with their loved up social media personas.
Sadly, they did not analyse selfies versus regular pictures, or annoying ‘omggg I have the best boyfriend in the world’ statuses. Which may have provided even more important data.
Six months after the initial questioning, each couple was asked if they were still dating. And to everyone’s absolute shock, the ones that posted more photos with their partners were more likely to still be together.
Which IOHO is probably because they’re too embarrassed to back out as it’s all plastered over the internet, but anyway.
The co-authors of the study explained however, that by publicly confirming their relationships on social media, the couples had deepened their bond.
They wrote: ‘These publicly posted cues likely induced participants to perceive themselves as part of a romantic unit, thus cementing the relationship.’
Just another reason to deeply resent all couples on Facebook.
