Relationships Between Jealousy in Intimate Partnerships and the Use of Snapchat

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between jealousy in intimate partnerships and the use of the social media platform, Snapchat.

Methods: Using a self-report survey design, this study examined jealousy in relationships of 134 students enrolled in a Psychology 101 course. The use of Snapchat was expected to be a significant cause of conflict in relationships.

Results: Individuals who reported more spying on Snapchat were more likely to engage in "mate guarding." Those who reported more spying were also more likely to report that they feared their partner would leave them and that they had experienced conflict with their partners over their Snapchat usage.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that Snapchat is a significant factor in instigating jealousy in relationships. The social media platform enables men and women to spy on their partners' account by browsing their top friend list, Snap score, message history, and photos and video shared within the app. This may lead individuals to question their partners' trust and overall commitment within the relationship.