Online başlayan ilişkilerin yüz yüze başlayan ilişkilerle romantik inançlar, bağlılık, ilişki sürdürme ve ilişki memnuniyeti açısından karşılaştırılması

Recently, there is an increase in online dating engagement and individuals' opinions are evolving as online dating is a good way to initiate a romantic relationship (Pew Research Center, 2016). Further, a research study proposed that marriages that started online have a higher relationship satisfaction rather than marriages that started in face-to-face interaction (Cacioppo, Cacioppo, Gonzaga, Ogburn& Vanderweele, 2013). Nevertheless, more studies are needed to compare these relationships. Therefore, current study is aimed to investigate how online vs. offline dating differs in terms of romantic beliefs, commitment, relationship maintenance behaviors and relationship satisfaction. Besides relationship experiences, the current study also aims to investigate how possible perception-changing experiences such as exposure to online dating does make a difference or not. Therefore, the current study investigates how romantic beliefs, commitment, relationship maintenance and relationship satisfaction differ among groups of participants who have experienced online dating before and participants who have not experienced online dating before. The sample is composed of 546 participants (362 females, 183 males and 1 other) between the ages of 18 and 30 (M= 24.16, SD = 3.5). 276 participants assessed their relationships as relationships started offline (face-to-face and contexts) and 270 participants assessed their relationships as relationships started online (both via online dating apps and social media sites). An independent samples t-test was conducted in order to see the group differences between offline and online dating experiences. Results revealed that there were no statistically significant differences across groups of offline vs. online daters in terms of romantic beliefs, commitment, relationship maintenance behaviors and relationship satisfaction. On the other hand, there was a significant group difference between participants who have experienced online dating before and who have not experienced before. In addition to this, regression analyses were conducted in order to determine unique contributions of romantic beliefs and commitment to relationship satisfaction. It was found that romantic beliefs, commitment and relationship satisfaction was significant predictors of relationship satisfaction. Further, mediation analyses were done in order to see how relationship maintenance behaviors mediate the relationship between romantic beliefs, commitment and relationship satisfaction among both groups. Results yield that relationship maintenance behaviors mediated the association between romantic beliefs and relationship satisfaction both in online and offline relationships. In addition to this, relationship maintenance behaviors mediated the association between commitment and relationship satisfaction in both groups of online and offline relationships. A discussion was provided to understand these results referring to the literature. Also, a discussion was provided based on Turkey's context. Keywords: Online dating, social media, commitment, romantic beliefs, relationship maintenance, relationship satisfaction