Exploring the Role of Technoference on Intimacy in Romantic Relationships - Kendra Ryan (2021, HBA)

Technoference (i.e., interference in face-to-face interactions or time spent together caused by the use of technological devices) is commonly associated with numerous relationship difficulties; including couple conflict, jealousy, relationship dissatisfaction, and decreased relational wellbeing. However, less is known about the impact of technoference on intimacy among couples. To understand the influence of technoference on intimacy in more detail, three serial mediation models were proposed hypothesizing that negative perceptions of partner’s technology use and communication satisfaction help explain the relationship between technoference and intimacy in romantic relationships. Three different measures of technoference were included in the present study as independent variables, and a separate serial mediation model was tested for each independent variable. A sample of 141 students at Lakehead University was recruited to complete online questionnaires assessing technoference, communication satisfaction, and intimacy experienced in their romantic relationships. Hayes’ (2017) PROCESS macro model 6 (for serial mediation) was used to test the hypothesized models. Hypotheses were supported such that the predictive relationships between overall technoference, self-reported technoference, and partner’s technoference with intimacy were serially mediated by negative perceptions of partner’s technology use and communication satisfaction. Specifically, greater technoference was associated with more negative perceptions of partner’s technology use, which was then associated with poorer communication satisfaction, which in turn, was associated with poorer intimacy among couples in all three serial mediation models. Understanding the factors that influence intimacy becomes increasingly important for identifying strategies that can be utilized to maximize intimacy levels between couples.