SOCIAL MEDIA/TECHNOLOGYHOW DOES IT EFFECT RELATIONSHIPS?

Evolution of Dating:

Social Media’s Impact

Imagine..

• You just met someone casually at (insert hang-out place

here) and really hit it off. You hung out for the afternoon,

but unfortunately needed to head home. You exchanged

names and phone numbers before leaving. They seem

awesome! You would love to get to know them more as it

seems like you two have similar interests and lifestyles.

When you get home, what is the first thing you may do?

• Facebook stalk?

• Search for their Twitter account?

• How about Instagram?

• Anything else?

Think..

• When people post on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and

other types of social media, what are they posting and

why?

• What-

• Statuses of events/mood

• Pictures of self/friends/events

• Interests, likes/dislikes

• Etc.

• Why-

• Want to inform others of

something (negative or positive)

• Do people share EVERYTHING through social media?

NO!

Social Media – In General

• Many social media forms portray a

distorted, disjointed and altogether

imaginary version of the people we

are.

• Twitter typically highlights the highs and

lows of a person’s life – not the daily

routine.

• Instagram also shows the highs and

lows of a person’s life in edited,

doctored up photographs – not the true

self.

• Facebook shares limited “choice”

details of one’s life in the form of

statuses, photographs, likes/dislikes,

and more.

Imagine.. (again)

• Back to our original story of casually meeting someone at

(insert hang-out place here).

• You have now successfully stalked your new

acquaintance on Facebook. He/she seems great! They

have tons of photographs of family get-togethers and

sporting events, which are two things you really enjoy!

• Now, before you have had a chance to go out on your “first date,”

you already have an idea of who this person may be. Will their true

self hold up to your expectations?

• The problem with falling in love with someone's two-dimensional

Facebook profile is that you never know what lies beyond that

sparkling smile in someone’s 25 profile pictures.

Imagine.. (again)

• OR…..

• Unfortunately when you find this new acquaintance on

Facebook, you find that they are not very photogenic.

They only have 30 friends on Facebook, and their 3

profile pictures are just “ehhh.” They also recently posted

a status about politics, which you find boring.

• All of a sudden you are questioning the real connection you had

with that person.

• Even though your first impression of him/her was solid and exciting,

your little date with their social-media presence leaves you second-

guessing your connection.

Social Media – Preventing Relationships

• Can encourage relationships based on “fantasy” – what

the person appears to be.

• Makes it more difficult to like the true person

• Causes you to expect the person to act in a certain way

• Can ruin potentially forming relationships – focusing on

the negatives of a profile after only a brief positive

encounter.

• May assume you have nothing in common

• Could focus on that one horrible photograph, or the terrible music

taste they have

What About Current Relationships?

• How many of you know someone who has gotten angry at

a significant other over something related to social

media?

• How many of you know someone who has broken up over

something that has happened on social media?

Social Media – Ruining Relationships

• We live in the present, but social media lives in the past.

• It is hard to get rid the old you when you are connected to social

media.

• Many people run the risk of jealousy when looking back at old

photographs of a significant other with an former “fling.”

• Also, you may change but your profile may still show people the old

you.

Social Media – Ruining Relationships

• It is too easy to monitor and overanalyze a person’s social

media accounts.

• Who is this new friend they added?

• Who are those ladies/gentlemen in that photo?

• Why did they accept that event when I was not invited?

The Whole Story

“The CliffsNotes of a person's life will never give you

an accurate representation of the reality. We create the

image that we want to convey through our activity on

social media. It's much easier to convey the "reality"

that we want to portray on the Internet than to live it in

real life. My own Facebook profile portrays a

character; the real me is much more complex. It would

be easy to choose a boyfriend or future husband

based on information from his social-media presence,

but the longevity of a relationship resulting from such

matchmaking techniques would probably be about

equal to your iPhone's battery life.”Tyler Curry

“When it comes to dating and mating,

sometimes it helps to unplug in order to

connect.”Tyler Curry

CAN WE AUTO-CORRECT HUMANITY?

LOOK UP!

What About the Positives?

• Gives individuals who are shy the ability to interact with

others with ease – getting the know the basics, which

result in relationships!

• Keep friends and relatives in touch with each other,

despite any distance.

• Sharing photographs, experiences, stories, video chatting

• Great way to connect with others before moving, starting

something new, etc.

• Ex: College dorm building

• Can organize people together under a common purpose!

• Share ideas related to a common interest

• Raise money for a fundraiser