Comparison Of Intimacy Behavior

Comparison of Text Messaging Behavior and Intimacy Behavior between American and Filipino Citizens

Jeff Llanes

Eva Castronuevo

Texting is the easiest way of communication today. Just like what Bill O’Reilly said “Texting is addicting. Once you get emotionally involved with constant outside stimulation assaulting your brain, it is hard to stop looking at your machine every two minutes. Without rapid fire words appearing on a screen, you feel bored, not part of the action.”

From the simplest type of mobile phone to the latest smartphones, people can send a text message to anyone, anywhere and anytime. With the second-largest population in South-east Asia after Indonesia, the Philippines has a large consumer base for its mobile market. Penetration

Relationship is defined as a connection between two people. As the generation is slowly taken away by technology, it evolves to an easier life. Teenagers used their mobile phones to contact each other, especially those who are in an intimate relationship. Within the Western psychological literature, intimacy is often conceptualized as resulting from self-disclosure (Sprecher & Hendrick, 2004). Self-disclosure and coherence also interacted to influence intimacy where a tendency toward self-disclosure contributes to intimacy to a greater extent at low levels of coherence (Bauminger N., et. al, 2008). A study made by Miller-Ott (2012) stated that mobile phones play an important role in romantic relationships, although they can be a source of uncertainty and conflict in relationships. Although mobile phones help relational partners stay connected, expectations that partners will always be available and accessible to one another may decrease the quality of their relationships. Also, another study which is made by Coyne (2011) stated that people address the communication technologies within romantic relationships are using to communicate with one another, the frequency of use, and the association between the use of these technologies and couple 's positive and negative

Although mobile phones help relational partners stay connected, expectations that partners will always be available and accessible to one another may decrease the quality of their relationships. Also, another study which is made by Coyne in 2011 stated that people address the communication technologies within romantic relationships are using to communicate with one another, the frequency of use, and the association between the use of these technologies and couple 's positive and negative communication.

All these studies have been performed in the western countries, showing that text messaging has a significance in romantic relationship. The Philippines is known to be the ‘Texting Capital’ of the world so, the researcher aims to perform a study to test if the results that will be gathered are the same or different with the other countries, Also to know how text messaging affects relationships in positive and negative