Romantic Relationships and Media - by Valerie Ellen Kretz (Hardcover)

About the Book

This book uses 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. Valerie Kretz covers a wide range of relationship experiences and processes, from getting together to breaking up.

Book Synopsis

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 a role 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.

Review Quotes

"Media and relationships have traditionally been treated as two entirely separate spheres of interest, but with the advent of digital culture the intersectionality can no longer be ignored. Through extensive review of the media, communication and relationship psychology literatures, Dr Kretz does an admirable job of drawing out the grey areas between them. Whether considering media influence on beliefs about relationships, online dating and other forms of romantic and sexual communication, or parasocial and AI-generated experiences, as Dr Kretz says: 'it's complicated!'" --David Giles, Scholar of Media Psychology, University of Winchester, UK

About the Author

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