Romantic Relationships and Media: Research at Their Intersections

In this book, Valerie Kretz utilizes examples from pop culture and everyday life to provide an examination of current research on romantic relationships and media, with an emphasis on entertainment and digitally-mediated communication. By dividing the book into two major sections - relationship trajectories and different aspects of relationships - Kretz establishes a framework through which to explore relevant theoretical and empirical findings, drawing on established literature, examples in the media, and the lived experiences of interview participants. Kretz covers a wide range of topics through these frameworks, including online dating, representations of love in film and television, social media and romantic jealousy, parasocial romance, and digital breakups, among others. Ultimately, Kretz argues that all available evidence demonstrates the complexity of this intersection, due to the separate roles that several distinct factors like medium, content, social context, frequency of use, and individual differences all play in how these intersections are constructed in the real world. Finally, the book identifies potential directions for future research as scholars continue to unpack this complex relationship.

Valerie Ellen Kretz is associate professor of communication and media studies at St. Norbert College.