Fields, features, and filters: how dating applications construct sexual fields and romantic and erotic capital

Sexualities ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136346072110568
Author(s):  
Hannah Regan
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Intended Audience ◽  
Search Filters ◽  
Erotic Capital

Young adults have gone from consulting matchmakers to app-makers, as they seek ways to meet sexual and romantic partners. Each dating application is constructed in a distinctive manner, creating unique “sexual fields” on each platform. In this study, I consider the affordances of four dating applications—the structure of profiles, available search filters, and application features—in order to understand how dating applications construct sexual fields and emphasize different forms of erotic and romantic capital. I find that which qualities constitute capital differs depending on the platform politics of the application, and the sexual fields vary according to the intended audience and outcome of the rules for interactions on the app. Such an analysis reveals how forces of heterosexism, racism, and classism operate in modern partner-seeking, both romantic and sexual.

Romantic partners’ weight criticism and Latina/o/x young adults’ relationship instability

2021 ◽  
pp. 026540752110354
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Killoren ◽  
J. Kale Monk ◽  
Avelina Rivero ◽  
Dawson Quinn ◽  
Gabrielle C. Kline
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Relationship Outcomes ◽  
Relationship Instability ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Romantic Relationship Quality

Negative interactions between romantic partners, such as when one partner criticizes another about their weight, are associated with poor relationship outcomes. The purpose of the study was to examine associations between romantic partner weight criticism, romantic relationship quality, gender, and Latinx young adults’ romantic relationship instability. Participants were recruited from a Qualtrics panel and completed 30-minute surveys online. The sample included 475 Latinx young adults (60% women; M age = 24.80 years, SD = 3.22; 66% Mexican) who reported on their experiences of romantic partner weight criticism, positive romantic relationship quality (e.g., intimacy, affection, nurturance), negative romantic relationship quality (e.g., conflict, antagonism), and relationship instability. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test the study goals. Overall, weight-related criticism was more strongly associated with romantic relationship instability for men than for women. Further, for men, associations between weight criticism and romantic relationship instability were also particularly strong in the context of low levels of negative romantic relationship quality compared to high levels of negative romantic relationship quality.

Associations between social control, motivation, and exercise: How romantic partners influence exercise during young adulthood

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 1425-1435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiffany L Berzins ◽  
Judith Gere ◽  
Scout M Kelly ◽  
John A Updegraff
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Social Control ◽  
Young Adulthood ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Romantic Partner ◽  
Approach And Avoidance ◽  
Control Motivation ◽  
Approach Avoidance ◽  
Exercise Motives ◽  
And Behavior

This study investigated whether positive and negative romantic partner social control attempts (persuasion and pressure, respectively) were related to approach-avoidance motives and exercise among young adults ( N = 98), using daily reports. Daily persuasion was linked to higher daily approach motives. At the person level, persuasion was associated with higher approach and avoidance motives in addition to more frequent, longer exercise. Pressure was associated with higher daily relationship stress, which was associated with higher daily avoidance motives. At the person level, pressure was related to less frequent, shorter exercise. Thus, romantic partners’ social control use correlates with exercise motives and behavior.

Risk of Mental Disorders and Difficulties or Conflict in Relationships in Young Adults

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S95-S95
Author(s):  
S. Gorbeña ◽  
P. Penas ◽  
E. Calvete ◽  
I. Crespo ◽  
I. Iraurgi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Competing Interest

IntroductionHigher risk of mental health problems has been linked with problems in relationships, including the experience of relational conflict with significant others and peers. Conversely, positive relations with others have been established as a key factor of psychological well being.ObjectivesWe hypothesized that psychological maladjustment will be related to the number, nature and severity of relational stressors. Furthermore, there would be a higher likelihood of risk of mental disorders for those who experience more relational hardships and of greater severity. Positive relations with others will protect from risk of mental health problems.MethodA total of 4461 university students completed a health and well-being survey, including the GHQ-12 (centesimal and 3-point cut-off scores), Ryff psychological well-being scale and a scale of 25 life stressors. Indexes of number and severity of difficulties in relationships were calculated with 10 items including romantic partners, friends, family, and classmates.ResultsCorrelations were significant. Logistic regression showed a risk effect for all stressors with OR values above 1.32. Overall perceived severity had the highest value (OR = 2.38, 95% CI = 2.16–2.61) and amongst the 10 stressors, gender related abuse/violence was also the highest (OR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.73–2.09). Positive relations showed a protective effect (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.56–0.54).ConclusionsFindings can inform health promotion, prevention and therapeutic interventions so as to improve the quality of personal relationship and conflict management skills, and to strengthen well-being associated with positive relations with others. Academic institutions committed to student welfare and the promotion of healthy environments should play a major role in young adults’ mental health.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

“Family Is Who They Say They Are”a: Examining the Effects of Cancer on the Romantic Partners of Adolescents and Young Adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 374-404
Author(s):  
Nancy J. Moules ◽  
Catherine M. Laing ◽  
Andrew Estefan ◽  
Fiona Schulte ◽  
Gregory M. T. Guilcher
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Cancer Survivor ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Impact Effect ◽  
Biological Family ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Relationship

In this article, we discuss a study we conducted to examine the effects of cancer on romantic partners (i.e., boyfriends and girlfriends, social/romantic/intimate partners) of adolescents and young adults experiencing, or who have experienced, cancer. In this hermeneutic study, we interviewed partners who were involved with an adolescent/young adult with cancer, a cancer survivor who was in a relationship during his treatment, and two healthcare professionals who have worked with these couples and witnessed many other situations of impact, effect, and repercussion. Out of this study, we suggest that partners are affected in many ways that can vary from estrangement, to termination of the relationship, to premature decisions about remaining in the relationship, to family disregard of the partner, and to disregard of the family due to influence of, or relationship with, the partner. We discuss these findings within the context of the larger picture of the psychosocial relational impact of cancer on members beyond those in the immediate and biological family.

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