A Systematic Literature Review on Interpersonal Communication Activities between Romantic Partners

Abstract

(Introduction) This article investigates interpersonal communication activities among romantic partners. The existence of the Internet has changed the nature and way people communicate with each other. Romantic partners used to communicate face to face however have shifted their communication with the usage of the Internet. This is due to the convenient nature of the communication technology. Communication technology with the help of the Internet has offered plenty of communication platforms such as social media; WhatsApp, Facebook, Tiktok, to name a few. However, scholars suggest due to the dependency on communication technology, the face-to-face communication activities among romantic partners have decreased. Thus, the main questions addressed are: what are the interpersonal communication activities among romantic partners? What are the mediums used by romantic partners to communicate with each other? Are they more dependent on communication technology in facilitating their interactions? (Methods) To answer these questions, a systematic literature review is conducted. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalysis (PRISMA), which involves four steps which are identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion-were used as the guideline to conduct the systematic literature review. (Results) Results reveal several themes. Romantic partners use communication technology such as Facebook, WhatsApp's to facilitate their daily routine due to i) cheap cost ii) fast iii) complement face to face communication. (Discussion) In the conclusion, future directions are discussed.