Everyday co-presence with a romantic partner is associated with lower C-reactive protein

Navigating Love in a Post-Pandemic World: Understanding Young Adults' Views on Short- and Long-Term Romantic Relationships

The uncertain future due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the technological advancements may have altered young adults' experiences of romantic relationships. It is unclear whether individuals will continue to prefer traditional long-term romantic relationships (LTRR) or opt for short-term ones (STRR). This research describes how young adults in Malaysia perceive LTRR and STRR. Using the structured approach of the theory of social representations, data were collected from 512 participants; 238 (46.48%) male; Mage 21.75; majority were heterosexual and students, and analyzed using prototypical analysis to reveal high consensus elements. Five observations were made: (1) females prioritize "love" in both STRR and LTRR, while males prioritize "love" only in LTRR; (2) females prioritize "marriage" in LTRR, while males prioritize "trust," "comfort," and "stability." Males do not consider "marriage" as part of a LTRR; (3) both males and females view STRR positively, while LTRR are viewed more practically; (4) "sex" is a core element in STRR but is absent in LTRR; (5) males differentiate between STRR and LTRR with no overlapping elements. These findings provide insight into the social representations of romantic relationships among young adults in Malaysia and suggest future directions for research in the field.

Social Media Use and Its Concurrent and Subsequent Relation to a Biological Marker of Inflammation: Short-Term Longitudinal Study

BACKGROUND

Although many studies have examined the impact of social media use (SMU) on mental health, very few studies have examined the association of SMU with health-relevant biomarkers.

OBJECTIVE

Addressing this gap, we conducted a short-term longitudinal study examining the link between SMU and C-reactive protein (CRP), a biological marker of systemic inflammation predictive of major depression, chronic diseases, and mortality.

METHODS

We measured college students' weekly amount of SMU for 5 consecutive weeks objectively via the Screen Time app and collected blood samples at baseline and 5 weeks later.

RESULTS

In separate cross-sectional analyses conducted at phase 1 (baseline) and at phase 2 (5 weeks after baseline), objective SMU had a positive, concurrent association with CRP at both time points. Critically, in a longitudinal analysis, more SMU between phase 1 and phase 2 predicted increased CRP between these time points, suggesting that increased SMU led to heightened inflammation during that period.

CONCLUSIONS

Although more research is needed to understand why SMU led to higher inflammation, the association between objective SMU and a marker of a biological process critical to physical health presents an intriguing opportunity for future research on social media effects.

Possible effects of pair bonds on general cognition: Evidence from shared roles of dopamine

Pair bonding builds on preexisting dopamine connectivity to help form and maintain the bond. The involvement of dopaminergic pathways in pair bonding has stimulated research linking pair bonds to other dopamine-dependent processes, like addiction and social cognition (Burkett & Young, 2012; Yetnikoff, Lavezzi, Reichard, & Zahm, 2014). Less studied is the relationship of pair bonding to non-social cognitive processes. The first half of this review will provide an overview of pair bonding and the role of dopamine within social processes. With a thorough review of the literature, the current study will identify the ways the dopaminergic pathways critical for pair bonding also overlap with cognitive processes. Highlighting dopamine as a key player in pair bonds and non-social cognition will provide evidence that pair bonding can alter general cognitive processes like attention, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and impulse control.

Stand by Me: Social Ties and Health in Real-Time

Sociological research has documented myriad associations between individuals' overall social connectedness and health, but rarely considers the shorter-term dynamics of social life that may underlie these associations. We examine how being with others ("social accompaniment") is associated with momentary experiences of symptoms, drawing smartphone-based ecological momentary assessments (N=12,720) collected from 342 older adults from the Chicago Health and Activity in Real Time study. We find that patterns of social accompaniment are distinct from global measures of social integration such as network size. Older adults who are in the company of a friend or neighbor are significantly less likely to experience momentary fatigue and stress, even after accounting for overall measures of social integration. These results suggest that social accompaniment has unique implications for short-term health outcomes. New theoretical perspectives and empirical analyses are needed to better understand the dynamic nature of everyday social accompaniment and its longer-term implications for well-being.