Gender Differences and Communication Technology Use Among Emerging Adults in the Initiation of Dating Relationships

Abstract

For many emerging adults, initiating and developing a romantic relationship is likely to be very different from the experiences of previous generations. Many studies address the abundant use of technology among young adults in virtually every aspect of their lives. Few studies, however, have investigated the use of communication technology and its impact on how relationships are discovered, initiated, and maintained among this group. Researchers collected data from 1,003 young adults (ages 18–25 years) through an online survey about communication technology use and dating behaviors. Results were analyzed using chi-square tests to assess for differences between groups. Findings suggest significant differences between men and women and their use of communication technology during the initiation of dating relationships. Additionally, young adults believe that “talking,” “hanging out,” and “sharing intimate details” are more important when compared with using communication technologies to establish a relationship. The information yields valuable understanding about the role communication technology plays in the intimate relationship development of emerging adults.

KEYWORDS:

• communication
• dating
• emerging adults
• gender
• technology

Notes

*Significant gender difference at a significant level of .05.

*No significant gender difference was found (p = .760).

^a Chi-square or Fisher's exact test.

*Significant gender difference at a significant level of .05.