Alexandra Seppala's Final Project

In today’s digital culture, the increasing abundance and popularity of social networking cites have generated new problems in regards to dating behavior. Specifically, Facebook, which has become the most popular social outlet for college students, has complicated traditional dating behavior to such an extent that it is impossible to go back. Facebook has crucially and unavoidably altered contemporary dating behavior both positively—by making romantic interests readily accessible—and negatively—by adding significant pressure to defining romantic relationships in our cyber obsessed world.

For my final project I chose to investigate how Facebook has permanently changed contemporary dating behavior. The two specific areas of Facebook, which I explored in depth, are: how Facebook influences first dates and how the relationship status box on Facebook has caused troubling side effects for Facebook users. The majority of the criticism and articles I found in regards to my topic, dating behavior and facebook, discuss the negative implications and concerns surrounding the relationship status feature on Facebook. However, the purpose of my paper was to explore how this feature has both positive and negative connotations. In addition I sought to prove that Facebook has permanently changed contemporary dating behavior both unavoidably and necessarily. In an age in which Facebook is the primary social outlet for young adults across the country, why should it not be the primary means of announcing relationship status? If a couple really cares about each other, why would they be hesitant to announce their status to their entire social network? With my research as the backbone for my analysis of this topic, along with these guiding questions of inquiry, I hope my final project has revealed how Facebook has crucially and eternally changed contemporary dating behavior.

Here is the link to my final project: http://itrs.scu.edu/faculty/mbousquet/spring07/english138/aseppala_spr07/final_project_1.html.

Here is the link to the homepage of my personal website:
http://itrs.scu.edu/faculty/mbousquet/spring07/english138/aseppala_spr07/. Feel free to browse and enjoy!