Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have begun to influence almost all aspects of life, including romantic relationships. Despite many companies and other entities now utilizing AI technology to produce products and media that may influence romantic relationship engagement and behavior, few studies to date have attempted to document or describe the ways that individuals engage with multiple AI technologies for romantic or sexual purposes in large national samples. Using a large quota national sample taken from the United States of 2,969 adults, in this exploratory study we sought to examine engagement with AI technologies, specifically the use of image generation of men and women on social media, chat technologies meant to simulate romantic or sexual partners, and AI generated pornography. Results suggested that engagement with AI technologies is relatively high, especially among young adults in their 20’s, suggesting that these emerging technologies represent an element of modern sexual behavior and romantic relationships that warrant further attention. A sizable minority of young adults reported using AI technologies romantically or sexually, including almost one in four young adults engaging with AI chat technologies to replicate romantic interactions. Regression results suggested that various demographic factors predict engagement with AI technologies and that AI technology use was associated with negative individual well-being. These initial descriptive results suggest the need for further research on this emerging behavioral phenomenon as an important component of modern romantic and sexual interactions.

Despite its negative reputation, gossip is a common conversational behavior that can benefit relationships. However, its potential advantages have not been explored in romantic partnerships. Using a naturalistic observation method (the Electronically Activated Recorder; EAR) we assessed how frequently 76 same- and different-gender couples gossiped with each other, and whether this frequency was associated with self-reported happiness and relationship quality. Actor-Partner Interdependence Models revealed preliminary evidence that romantic partner gossip was positively associated with both happiness and relationship quality. This association held for both same- and different-gender couples. Given that romantic partners are primary sources of conversation and emotional exchanges for many adults, gossip may play a particularly important role in strengthening these bonds. Future research should replicate this finding and explore potential causal mechanisms and specific gossip characteristics that drive these associations, as gossip may be a fruitful avenue to test as a communication strategy for improving well-being in romantic partnerships.

Over the past decades, singlehood has become prevalent globally. In India, the same trend has been observed in recent years. Many singles are delaying marriage or choosing never to get married even though marriage is considered important in Indian society. This article explores how singlehood is experienced among Indian singles aged 30 years and older (N = 153) and their quality of life. Using a mixed-method approach, it was found that a difference exists in the quality of life of the participants based on their gender and living arrangements. Thematic analysis revealed that our participants opt to remain unmarried due to a range of personal and cultural factors. The advantages of staying single include a sense of freedom to explore one’s interests and reduced emotional and financial responsibilities. However, there are notable disadvantages of remaining single for our participants, such as a Lack of intimacy, Apprehension related to health and financial security, Safety issues, and Perceived discrimination in the workplace. We suggest that the findings of this study can be used as a foundation for designing psychological interventions that address the needs of single adults in traditional social contexts.

Connections with caregivers and friends undergo significant changes during adolescence, which are crucial for the formation of psychosocial identity and overall well-being. This study examines the importance of social connectedness among Peruvian adolescents, emphasizing the need to consider both the quantity and quality of these relationships. Social connectedness was explored among 32 adolescents, between 15 and 17 years of age, who were participants in the project “Being an adolescent in Peru”. This was done through in-depth interviews, taking into account factors such as region, academic performance and gender. The results were presented in two themes: expectations and evaluations of relationships in adolescents. This for each of the domains: family and friends. Moreover, while adolescents value their relationships with caregivers, the COVID-19 pandemic increased physical proximity but diminished the quality of these bonds. With respect to peer relationships, the pandemic limited interactions to a virtual, superficial, and infrequent level. The return to in-person interactions was positively perceived, particularly in relation to friends relationships, emphasizing the importance of interaction quality. These findings highlight the complexity of relationships in times of crisis and underscore the need to differentiate between the quantity and quality of interactions to promote healthy development and well-being.

Numerous studies have shown that teacher-student relationship and peer attachment play an important role in the development of internalizing problem behaviors. However, little is known about the bidirectional linkages between teacher-student relationship and peer attachment and internalization problems in left-behind children’s groups and the underlying mechanisms of the dynamics. This study used cross-lagged panel modeling (CLPM) to explore the bidirectional longitudinal relationship between teacher-student relationship and peer attachment and internalization problems among left-behind children in China. A sample of 610 left-behind children completed a series of questionnaires at three time points (M_age = 9.52, SD_age = 0.79), with an approximate interval of 1 year between each time point. The results of cross-lagged analyses showed that (1) A supportive teacher-student relationship initiates a virtuous cycle by negatively predicting subsequent internalizing problem behaviors while enhancing peer attachment. (2) Conversely, internalizing problem behaviors initiate a vicious cycle, which in turn negatively predicts subsequent teacher-student relationship and peer attachment. These findings support the interaction model, suggesting that teachers should not only recognize how internalizing problem behaviors actively reinforces relational deficits (negative “driving” effects) but also strategically leverage the protective roles of the teacher-student relationship and peer attachment (positive “driving” effects).

The sexual communication patterns that comprise how heterosexual men with concordance between identity and behavior navigate their sexual encounters with women are well-established. Some heterosexual men experience discordance between their sexual identities and behaviors and may have unique practices of sexual communication, but this has not been studied. Knowledge of their sexual communication practices is an important step toward understanding and improving their sexual experiences. Therefore, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 heterosexual-identified men who have sex with men to learn more about their sexual communication strategies. Three themes were identified through interpretative phenomenological analysis: meeting sex partners, clear communication with men, and poor communication with women. Findings suggest that sexual communication is gendered. Participants reported utilizing short and explicit verbal and written communication strategies with other men via the internet and in various sexualized venues. Yet, participants more frequently used implicit sexual cues as the primary source of sexual communication when with women. Implications related to boosting sexual satisfaction and preventing nonconsensual sexual encounters are discussed.