Papers by Michael Langlais
American Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities
Because attachment insecurity is associated with higher reports of social media (SM) use, and SM ... more Because attachment insecurity is associated with higher reports of social media (SM) use, and SM use has been shown to reduce the quality of interpersonal interactions, it is possible that SM use may mediate the association between attachment insecurity and experiences of internal stress (i.e., stress within a relationship). The present study uses daily diary data from 154 participants currently in a romantic relationship. Both concurrent (same day) and lagged (next day) effects were examined. Attachment anxiety was positively associated with experiences of internal stress on day 2 (concurrent effect) and day 3 (lagged effect). Partial support was found for associations with attachment avoidance; those reporting higher attachment avoidance reported higher internal stress on day 3 (lagged effect), but not on day 2 (concurrent effect). SM use did not mediate the association between insecure attachment and internal stress, as hypothesized. Implications and future directions are presented.
continued guidance and support during the preparation of my master's thesis and graduate career. ... more continued guidance and support during the preparation of my master's thesis and graduate career. I cannot imagine having a more supportive, understanding, or caring advisor than you, and for that I am eternally grateful. I would also like to thank the other members of my master's thesis committee, Drs. Lisa Neff and Nancy Hazen-Swann, for reviewing my master's thesis and their sound recommendations. Last, I would like to acknowledge my graduate cohort. I am so thankful to have friends and colleagues in each and every one of you. vi
Journal of Family Studies, 2015
The relationship literature describes that declining commitment leads to breakup. The goal of thi... more The relationship literature describes that declining commitment leads to breakup. The goal of this manuscript is to distinguish declining commitment and breakup to clarify this claim to better understand relationship processes. Data comes from a longitudinal study of heterosexual dating couples (N = 180). Both individuals in the relationship independently graphed changes in commitment to wed their partner and reported reasons for each change monthly for eight consecutive months. Frequency and intensity of decreased interaction, relational uncertainty, and alternative partners were measured across periods of stability (increased or stable levels of commitment to wed) and declining commitment (decreased commitment to wed that was at least one month in duration). Hierarchical linear models revealed that more frequent reports of these characteristics were associated with declining commitment rather than stability. Using survival analyses, intensity of each characteristic predicted breakup versus declining commitment. Implications for relationship processes are discussed.
International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction, 2022
Third places offer and promote social experiences beneficial for building interpersonal relations... more Third places offer and promote social experiences beneficial for building interpersonal relationships. This study has two goals: 1) establish a scale that tests if an environment is characteristic of third place characteristics and 2) use this scale with four virtual environments (Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter) to test the proficiency of third place characteristics as representative of virtual third places. A research-informed scale was created and tested with a sample of 354 participants. Confirmatory factor analysis verified a nine-factor solution, with each subscale reporting acceptable reliability (range: .89 to .96). This scale was tested with 140 participants to verify if certain social media qualified as third places. MANOVAs revealed that Facebook adheres most closely to the majority of third place characteristics, followed by Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter respectively. The proposed scale can be used with other virtual environments to measure if they qualify ...
Family Science Review, 2016
Theories of the family, specifically ecological systems theory, can be difficult for students to ... more Theories of the family, specifically ecological systems theory, can be difficult for students to grasp, particularly when instructors only use lecture methods. The activity this article discusses proposes a personalized experiential learning activity that appeals to students with various learning styles. The activity should help all students understand and apply early models of ecological systems theory, which includes microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. After discussing each subsystem and bi-directional influences between individuals and the environment with students, instructors have students watch a popular YouTube video portraying family conflict or support. Students work in pairs or small groups to analyze family behavior depicted in the video, according to each ecological systems theory subsystem. Students write responses and discuss them with the class. Formal and informal evaluations conducted after using this YouTube-based approach demonstrate students' understanding and retention of, and interest in, ecological systems theory.
Journal of Family Studies, 2015
The relationship literature describes that declining commitment leads to breakup. The goal of thi... more The relationship literature describes that declining commitment leads to breakup. The goal of this manuscript is to distinguish declining commitment and breakup to clarify this claim to better understand relationship processes. Data comes from a longitudinal study of heterosexual dating couples (N = 180). Both individuals in the relationship independently graphed changes in commitment to wed their partner and reported reasons for each change monthly for eight consecutive months. Frequency and intensity of decreased interaction, relational uncertainty, and alternative partners were measured across periods of stability (increased or stable levels of commitment to wed) and declining commitment (decreased commitment to wed that was at least one month in duration). Hierarchical linear models revealed that more frequent reports of these characteristics were associated with declining commitment rather than stability. Using survival analyses, intensity of each characteristic predicted breakup versus declining commitment. Implications for relationship processes are discussed.
Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 2015
ABSTRACT
The Family Journal, 2021
In spring and fall 2020, most schools across the globe closed due to the ongoing threat of the CO... more In spring and fall 2020, most schools across the globe closed due to the ongoing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. Online and remote learning (ORL) modalities were implemented to continue children’s education and development. Yet, the change in educational delivery increased parental responsibilities in cultivating their children. We examined the determinants related to students’ learning performance before and during the COVID-19 period in association with psychosocial behaviors (such as socialization, internalizing and externalizing behavior, and motivation) and other factors, including parents’ support received, the teaching modality, and access to digital resources. The current study included 80 parents of elementary and middle school children who completed an online survey. The results of the study indicated that more than double the normal time was spent by parents in supporting their children’s learning and development during the COVID-19 period. The factors of parental suppor...
Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, 2018
The majority of university family science courses are predominantly comprised of women. Because f... more The majority of university family science courses are predominantly comprised of women. Because family science classes are centered on information and concepts relevant for both men and women, it is important to understand gendered experiences to promote healthy family and romantic relationships. Not only would men benefit from these classes, but increasing male enrollment in family sciences courses will help promote gender diversity in higher education. The current study used qualitative analyses to examine the perceptions of male undergraduate students concerning the benefits of taking family science courses. Male undergraduates from three midsize universities in the Midwestern and Western United States provided open-ended responses via an online survey (N = 64). Three themes emerged: the classes provided students with valuable information; they had a better understanding of themselves and others; and the classes related to their future career path. Results provide support to prom...
International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction, 2021
Responding to a perceived decline in social capital in America, sociologists Oldenburg and Brisse... more Responding to a perceived decline in social capital in America, sociologists Oldenburg and Brissett offer the third place as a solution. While traditionally defined as social gathering places in the physical environment, recent studies have demonstrated that virtual environments may also serve as third places. This study analyzes the social media website Facebook to identify current socializing patterns. The goals of the present study are twofold: 1) to examine the characteristics of third places in virtual contexts as evidenced in existing literature and 2) to identify new third place characteristics that illustrate the evolution of third place characteristics using Facebook as a model. Findings provide support for updating third place characteristics in order to encompass both virtual and physical environments. Results reinforce the idea that present-day socializing trends better represent a different paradigm than existing theories and provide definitions for new evolving third p...
Journal of child and family studies, 2021
Although divorce is typically stressful for mothers, the formation of post-divorce dating relatio... more Although divorce is typically stressful for mothers, the formation of post-divorce dating relationships can help to ease this stress. Unfortunately, research has yet to empirically consider children's post-divorce adjustment for mothers' wellbeing leading up to and during mothers' post-divorce dating. This study addresses the following questions: 1) How do children's problem behaviors predict mothers' depressive symptoms following divorce? 2) How do children's problem behaviors predict the quality of mothers' dating relationships and the rapport between children and mothers' dating partners? 3) How do children's problem behaviors, the quality of mothers' dating relationships, child-dating partner rapport, and length of mothers' dating simultaneously impact mothers' depressive symptoms? Data for this study comes from a longitudinal investigation of recently divorced mothers and their children (N = 232). Hierarchical linear models reveal...
Sexuality & Culture, 2018
Emerging adults’ religiosity has been consistently linked with less participation in sexual behav... more Emerging adults’ religiosity has been consistently linked with less participation in sexual behaviors as supported by cognitive dissonance theory. However, this association may be different when examining centrality of religiosity of relationships (CRR), meaning participating in and discussing religiosity and spirituality with a current or anticipated romantic partner. The goal of this study is to examine the influence of CRR for emerging adults’ affectionate and sexual behaviors. Additionally, we test if the association between CRR and affectionate and sexual behaviors varies by gender, given males’ more positive attitudes towards sexual behaviors compared to females. Data for this study comes from 284 emerging adults, ages 18 to 29 (mean age = 20.9 years; 70.1% female) from an area in the Midwestern United States. Results illustrated that CRR is negatively associated with affectionate behaviors, intimate touching behaviors, oral sex behaviors, and sexual (vaginal) intercourse. Add...
Studies have shown that some individuals use Facebook to initiate romantic relationships, but few... more Studies have shown that some individuals use Facebook to initiate romantic relationships, but few have investigated the motivations for using Facebook to form relationships. As discussed via the Cybernetic Big Five Theory, a potential explanation may be personality, which is associated with general social media use. The current study examines the association between the Big Five personality traits and motivations to initiate romantic relationships using Facebook. Data comes from 177 undergraduate students from two universities in the United States who completed an online survey assessing the Big Five and motivations to and behaviors for which they use Facebook for relationship initiation. Using multiple regression analyses, conscientiousness and neuroticism predicted motivations to initiate relationships via Facebook to learn more about a potential partner without asking, to provide a neutral environment to start a conversation, to pace the progress of the relationship, and to give ...
Journal of Divorce & Remarriage
Journal of Child and Family Studies
Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research, 2010
Print ed in the USA. Pe ri od i cals postage paid at Chat ta noo ga, TN, and additional mailing o... more Print ed in the USA. Pe ri od i cals postage paid at Chat ta noo ga, TN, and additional mailing offices. Statements of fact or opinion are the re spon si bil i ty of the authors alone and do not imply an opin ion on the part of the officers or mem bers of Psi Chi. Psi Chi does not accept paid advertising for its publications Eye on Psi Chi or Psi Chi Journal of Undergraduate Research.
Religions
Individual and romantic partner religiosity are positively associated with marital quality. Howev... more Individual and romantic partner religiosity are positively associated with marital quality. However, many studies focus on married couples, rather than examining dating relationships, and rely on single-item measures of religiosity. More importantly, few studies have examined the importance of relationship religiosity in the context of dating, despite the theoretical importance of this construct. Relationship religiosity is defined as participating in and discussing religiosity and spirituality with a current romantic partner. The goal of this study is to test relationship religiosity as a mediator between individual and partner religiosity for relationship quality of dating relationships using stringent measures of centrality of religiosity. Data for this study comes from 119 participants who were in dating relationships (74.8% female; mean age: 23.2 years). Participants completed a survey regarding their religiosity, their partners’ religiosity, the religiosity of their relationsh...
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Papers by Michael Langlais