Date of Thesis

Spring 2026

Description

Social media has introduced new ways couples signal relationship status, ranging from a “hard launch” (a clear couple post) to a “soft launch” (subtle cues such as hands or hints) to a “no launch” (no posting at all). Although these posting choices may seem minor, they may shape how committed and secure a relationship feels. Guided by the Investment Model (Rusbult, 1980) and interdependence theory (Kelley & Thibaut, 1978), the present study examines whether relationship visibility on Instagram relates to perceived partner commitment and relationship security.

A total of 176 participants (36 male, 118 female, 22 did not report) viewed three relationship posting scenarios in a randomized order: hard launch (full-face couple photo), soft launch (hands-only image), and no launch (no post). After each posting scenario, participants rated perceived commitment, seriousness, stability, publicness, security, and related partner qualities. The Repeated Measures analyses revealed a significant within-subject effect of launch condition on relationship perceptions, indicating that evaluations differed across relationship visibility levels. Overall patterns were consistent with a visibility gradient in which more public relationship signals were associated with higher perceived commitment and greater relationship security. Social media engagement also significantly moderated responses across conditions, suggesting that heavier social media users may be more sensitive to these visibility cues. These findings support the idea that “launch” behaviors function as modern commitment signals, shaping how relationships are interpreted and how secure they feel in everyday digital contexts.

Keywords

social media, romantic relationships, relationship signaling, impression formation, relationship stability, interpersonal perception

Access Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science

Major

Psychology

First Advisor

T. Joel Wade

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