Eastern Michigan University Eastern Michigan University
DigitalCommons@EMU DigitalCommons@EMU
Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations
Master's Theses, and Doctoral Dissertations,
and Graduate Capstone Projects
2022
The use of TikTok for relationship maintenance: An exploratory The use of TikTok for relationship maintenance: An exploratory
study study
Shannon Nemes
Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.emich.edu/theses
Part of the Communication Commons
The Use of TikTok for Relationship Maintenance: An Exploratory Study
by
Shannon Nemes
Thesis
Submitted to the School of Communication, Media, and Theatre Arts
Eastern Michigan University
in partial fulfillment for the degree of
MASTER OF ARTS
in
Communication
Thesis Committee:
Jeannette Kindred, Ph.D., Chair
Jamie Ward, Ph.D.
Dennis O’Grady, Ph.D.
June 16, 2022
Ypsilanti, Michigan
ii
Dedication
This thesis is dedicated to my grandfather, whose love, spirit, and mischievous smile
guides me every day.
iii
Acknowledgments
I would like to acknowledge my thesis chair for her endless support over the last year,
and my thesis committee, whose helpful guidance led me to this point. I would also like to thank
my research participants; I could not have achieved this thesis without you! Lastly, I would like
to thank my mother, who participated in every step of this journey with me. Your pride and faith
in me are what continues to push me on to new adventures.
iv
Abstract
The recent boom in popularity of the social media app TikTok has provided more opportunities
for users in a committed relationship to express their love to their partner through features such
as video sharing, tagging, or creating content together. The purpose of this study is to learn how
romantic partners use TikTok to support relationship maintenance; in addition, this study draws
on research related to the five love languages to gauge how romantic partners express their love
for each other using TikTok. Interviews with eight individuals involved in long-term romantic
relationships revealed how TikTok assists with relationship maintenance. Six themes emerged
from the interview data showing that romantic partners use TikTok for self-disclosure, meta
communication, activity planning, connection, convenience, and humor. In addition, respondents
explained in detail how four of the five love languages are satisfied and expressed via TikTok.
v
Table of Contents
Dedication .................................................................................................................................. ii
Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................................... iii
Abstract .................................................................................................................................... iv
The Use of TikTok for Relationship Maintenance: An Exploratory Study ...................................1
Literature Review ........................................................................................................................5
Relationship Maintenance and Social Media ........................................................................5
The Five Love Languages and Relationship Maintenance ....................................................7
TikTok and Relationship Maintenance .................................................................................9
Conclusion and Research Questions ................................................................................... 11
Method ..................................................................................................................................... 13
Participant Selection .......................................................................................................... 13
Research Procedures .......................................................................................................... 14
Results ...................................................................................................................................... 16
RQ1: What is the Role of the Social Media Platform TikTok in the Relationship Maintenance
of Romantic Partners?............................................................................................................ 16
RQ2: How Does the use of TikTok Demonstrate a Romantic Partner’s own Love Language as
well as the Love Language of Their Partner? ......................................................................... 23
Quality Time and Physical Touch ...................................................................................... 24
Words of Affirmation and Acts of Service ......................................................................... 26
vi
Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 29
Conclusions, Limitations, and Suggestions for Future Research ................................................ 32
References ................................................................................................................................ 34
Appendix A: A Description of Each of the Five Love Languages .............................................. 37
Words of Affirmation ............................................................................................................ 37
Quality Time ......................................................................................................................... 37
Receiving Gifts ...................................................................................................................... 37
Acts of Service ...................................................................................................................... 38
Physical Touch ...................................................................................................................... 38
Appendix B: IRB Approval ....................................................................................................... 39
Appendix C: Interview Questions .............................................................................................. 40
Part 1: Demographic Information and Overview Questions.................................................... 40
Part 2: TikTok for Relationship Maintenance ......................................................................... 40
The Use of TikTok for Relationship Maintenance: An Exploratory Study
Relationship maintenance is defined as the various behaviors that romantic partners
actively engage in to maintain the desired characteristics of a romantic relationship (Stafford &
Canary, 1991). These behaviors are often seen as part of the routine that a couple shares within
the relationship as the relationship progresses (Ogolsky & Gray, 2015). Examples of behaviors
that could be established within a romantic relationship include spending time with a romantic
partner, communicating with each other when there are problems in the relationship, and
communicating whether the relationship is strong enough to move forward. While relational
maintenance is typically practiced offline by relational partners, communication using social
media is beginning to reduce the popularity of face-to-face interactions, for the convenience of
social media communication (Orben & Dunbar, 2017).
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat allow users to create
content which consists of their own interests that can be shared with other users on the platform,
who have the option to respond in the form of a comment, liking the post, sharing it, or
messaging the original post of the creator (Abassi, 2019). Social media has a role in most of the
communication that happens between romantic partners during their day-to-day routine, some
which could include expressing affection for their partner, discussing serious issues, and
apologizing to each other (Coyne et al., 2011). Not only this, but social media platforms give
couples the opportunity to make specific elements of their relationship open to the public
(Halpern & Drobny, 2020). This includes a couple’s relationship status, important events within
2
the relationship, and activities that the couple may participate in together. Once relationship
information is made public, it can have a direct impact on the relationship through the judgement
of family and friends, the strength of which depends on if the information is positive or negative
(Sprecher, 2011).
Couples also use social media as a form of communication; this can include exchanging
messages through Facebook messenger, commenting on each other’s tweets, or sending each
other snap messages on Snapchat. The use of these platforms on mobile devices gives romantic
partners the ability to be connected continuously throughout the day, creating an increase in
communication when a couple is separated (Coyne et al., 2011).
One social media platform has become a popular form of communication between not
only romantic partners, but also with friends and family members with 2 billion downloads
across the globe: the social media app TikTok (Henneman, 2020). TikTok is a video sharing and
content creating platform where users can either watch videos created by other users or create
their own content, most common of which are responses to video challenges created by other
users of the app (Serrano et al., 2020). TikTok users can share videos created on the platform
with friends and family through the app’s messenger feature, can tag friends and family in the
comments of a video, or can share TikTok videos to other social media platforms such as
Facebook or Twitter for family or friends that may not use the app. These features that are
included in the TikTok app have the potential to develop a new way of maintaining the
relationships in our lives through a variety of options such as creating content together to
maintain a bond, sharing a video that will make a friend laugh, letting a parent know they’re
loved, or reminding a romantic partner that they are valued.
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This increase in communication via various forms of social media can not only improve
attempts at relationship maintenance but also has the potential to sustain the needs of a partner’s
love language (Chapman, 2015). The five love languages (words of affirmation, quality time,
physical touch, acts of service, and receiving gifts) help couples communicate and bond with
each other in hopes of maintaining a stable relationship (Chapman, 2015). Therefore, each love
language could possibly be communicated through social media to express the needs of each
partner within the relationship through, for example, words of affirmation that can be sent via
text to encourage one’s partner that they are doing well or to tell them a compliment that will
make them feel loved and appreciated by their spouse (Bunt & Hazelwood, 2017).
Investigating the possible connections between relationship maintenance, the five love
languages, and the social media app TikTok will contribute to the literature on social media and
communication in romantic relationships. As TikTok grows, it will continue to impact romantic
relationships in a positive or negative manner, therefore making additional study increasingly
important. Creating and maintaining romantic connections through this app and other social
media platforms is not a new occurrence, but requires consistent observation, as social media
changes from day to day, therefore making subtle changes in relationships and relationship
maintenance.
As social media platforms and the technology needed to access it grows, users who are in
romantic relationships that they wish to maintain will have to adapt and grow with it. Therefore,
the purpose of this study is to learn how romantic partners use Tiktok to support relationship
maintenance; in addition, this study draws on research related to the five love languages
(Chapman, 2015) to gauge how romantic partners express their love for each other using Tiktok.
The research gathered from this study will contribute to interpersonal communication and social
4
media communication research while also providing relatable insight for romantic couples that
frequently use social media apps to bond.
5
Literature Review
The following section gives a brief overview of the topics studied in this research in three
parts: the first being relationship maintenance, second being the five love languages, and last
being a description of the social media app TikTok. The first part of this section discusses how
past research has found that relationship maintenance can be improved or harmed by the use of
social media in romantic relationships. Specifically, what behaviors can emerge within the
relationship because of social media and if the needs of each partner within the relationship can
be met due to those behaviors. The second part of this section gives a brief overview of the five
love languages, explaining how they were developed, why they are important in maintaining a
romantic relationship, and the meaning behind each of the five languages. The final part of this
section provides a brief explanation of the social media app TikTok; the history of the app’s
development, how it operates, and how the app can be used by romantic partners to continue
relationship maintenance practices.
Relationship Maintenance and Social Media
Relationship maintenance is most defined as the various behaviors that romantic partners
actively engage in to maintain the desired characteristics of a romantic relationship (Stafford &
Canary, 1991). These behaviors are performed throughout the course of the relationship through
strategic planning or a simple routine established within the relationship (Ogolsky & Gray,
2015). When these behaviors are practiced, partners maintain a sense of trust, love, and
appreciation for each partner that allows the relationship to function positively. Other strategies
that assist in positive relationship functioning include positivity, openness, assurances, shared
social networks, and sharing tasks within the relationship (Stafford & Canary, 1991). In simpler
terms, relationship maintenance occurs when a couple participates in a consistent routine that has
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been established within the relationship to keep it flowing smoothly. When these strategies are
initiated in a relationship, they can not only make the relationship stronger, but also provide a
measure of the adaptability and response to changes within the relationship (Ogolsky & Gray,
2015). It is when one or both partners step outside of the established routine in their relationship
that negative relationship maintenance behaviors begin to surface.
Social media communication allows couples to communicate their needs within the
relationship and anticipation for affection without having to be in the same room as their spouse,
opening communication channels and allowing for personal growth that can be a benefit to the
relationship (Bland & McQueen, 2018). For example, the social media apps that encourage video
content creation support couples that create content related to their relationship, how it has
improved, and how other users can improve their own romantic relationship. Video content like
this can easily be sent from one partner to another to help facilitate conversation about the
relationship and how it can be improved overtime.
Recent research has shown that the introduction of technology in relationships can
drastically impact relationship maintenance in both a positive and negative way. For example,
social media and technology use allows couples to express their love for each other publicly and
whenever they please via messaging apps or posts on someone’s profile, creating the potential
for positive relationship maintenance through strategies such as openness within the relationship
and assuring that the relationship is stable (Arikewuyo, Efe-Ozad et al., 2020). Alternatively, this
ability to stay in constant contact with one’s partner is a tool that can backfire when trust, an
important element of relationship maintenance, begins to waver in a relationship. For example,
someone may feel the need to look through their partner’s phone and social media accounts if
they feel that something is amiss. Looking through the phone of one’s partner can lead to
7
negative relationship maintenance behaviors such as jealousy and monitoring. Monitoring, or the
action of overseeing a partner’s activities online could create a lack of privacy and autonomy
amongst romantic partners, which can then lead to conflict within the relationship (Arikewuyo,
Eluwole, Ozad et al., 2021).
Another example is the amount of relational information found on social media networks
that is not found in the real world. Facebook has a relationship status feature as part of the profile
set up for their users, where a couple can announce that they are dating, married, sharing an
anniversary, if the relationship is complicated, or if the couple has decided to separate (Fox et al.,
2014). Social media networks give friends, family, and other users connected to the profiles of
romantic partners an exclusive view of their relationship maintenance process that otherwise
would not be seen and can therefore be judged by friends and family of the couple. While these
judgments can be positive, if they are negative, it is possible that negative opinions of the
relationship can cause a rift in it and upset the relational maintenance routine already established
by the couple (Sprecher, 2010). The potential relationship between social media and relational
maintenance is still relatively unexplored to researchers however, indicating that future inquiry is
required.
The Five Love Languages and Relationship Maintenance
The five love languages are a concept that was developed by marriage counselor Gary
Chapman to help couples understand each other and maintain a strong romantic relationship
through different forms of communication. According to Chapman (2015), everyone expresses
each of the five love languages, but have a specific language that provides them with the most
satisfaction, which can sometimes be difficult for their romantic partner to understand if they do
not share the same love language (p. 15). The five love languages include words of affirmation,
8
quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. The research in this study will
use the love language model and add to the research that has already been compiled on the
subject. According to Chapman’s book The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts,
people in romantic relationships tend to only speak their primary love language when the key to
a successful relationship is being able to communicate using your partner’s love language, in
addition to your own (p. 16). When the love language of one’s spouse is spoken, relational
satisfaction, or the extent to which an individual is willing to address the needs of their spouse
and address them correctly, has the potential to be established (Bohlander, 1999). Due to the
willingness shown by the couple to address each other’s needs, they also may be meeting the
needs of each partner’s love language (Ince & Isik, 2021). Recent research has also addressed the
similarities between Chapman’s five love languages and the strategies associated with relational
maintenance. For example, as previously discussed, one of the relationship maintenance
behaviors, assurances, is seen when one partner emphasizes the importance of the other (Egbert
& Polk, 2006). The love language words of affirmation has a similar goal, where one
communicates compliments and words of encouragement to their partner to meet their needs
(Chapman, 2015). Another example is the relationship maintenance behavior shared tasks, where
couples perform basic tasks together such as household chores (Egbert & Polk, 2006). Similar to
this relational behavior is the love language acts of service, in which one partner may perform an
act or service for their partner to make their life easier (Bunt & Hazelwood, 2017).
Chapman’s book goes on to explain each of the love languages in detail, using the stories
of past patients as examples. The love language model is popular today and used frequently in
couples’ programs across the country to maintain or improve relationships (Ince & Isik, 2021).
However, it is important to note that even though the five love languages are widely known,
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many researchers continue to have doubts about the concept and continue to encourage
psychological and clinical observation (Bunt & Hazelwood, 2017). A popular reason for the
suggestion of continued examination is that Chapman has done little to no research to support
this model, resulting in little evidence to support it (Bland & McQueen, 2018). While there are
studies that support Chapman’s framework, not enough research has been done for the love
language model to be fully supported. Researchers also claim that the variables related to the five
love languages should continue to be examined thoroughly (Ince & Isik, 2021). A brief
description of each of the five love languages can be found in Appendix A.
TikTok and Relationship Maintenance
TikTok is a video sharing and creating platform that was created by the tech company
ByteDance in 2016, and later merged in 2018 with another video app called Musical.ly (Serrano
et al., 2020). Not long after this merge the app quickly became popular, becoming the most
downloaded app of 2020 with 100 million users by the middle of that year (Henneman, 2020).
The app is well known for becoming a place where users create content, and challenge other
users to duplicate what they did in the video, with dance challenges being the most popular.
Primarily used as a phone app, users can comment on videos, share them through the messaging
feature on the app as well as to other platforms, and “like” videos they enjoy by pushing a heart
button on their screen, which then saves the video to their profile. While users can choose to only
interact with videos on what is called their “for you page” or what is considered the home page
of the app, they can also follow content creators they enjoy, and watch their videos on the
“following” page of the app. The third page offered by the platform is the “discover page,”
where users can search sounds, hashtags, and the title of videos to find similar content on the
platform (Serrano et al., 2020). If users choose to make their own content, they have the option
10
of using different filters, speed of the video, sounds, and effects for their video, which includes
closed captions. Sounds can also be created by a creator and used by other users of the platform
for their content (Serrano et al., 2020). TikTok originally only allowed users to film 15 second to
one-minute videos, but earlier this year gave users the option to make three-minute video
content. Once a video is finished, the creator can add a bio to the video in addition to popular
hashtags to make the video go viral.
Three of the most popular features of the app give user’s the opportunity to duet, stitch,
and reply to other videos on the platform. Duets are common when a user wants to respond to a
challenge or theme in a video created or performed by a different user; the duet shows both the
video of the user and the creator that they wish to duplicate or respond to (Serrano et al., 2020).
Dance challenge videos are the most popular challenges to accomplish on the app, but other
challenges can include food or action challenges, where the user will have to recreate a stunt
performed by the original content creator. Videos that are “stitched” first display the video that a
user would like to respond to for an amount of time specified by the user, and then switches to
the original video content of the user themselves. This feature is often used to respond to another
creator’s video content without having to use TikTok’s duet feature, so the sole focus of the
video is either on the creator of the video, or a clip from the TikTok video that they wish to
address. These features of the app have the capability to not only connect users to people around
the world but give them the ability to create their own videos and share videos with friends and
family.
As TikTok increases in popularity, it could also become a way for not only friends and
family to maintain bonds, but for romantic partners to bond as well. Whether together on the
couch or miles apart, TikTok gives couples the ability to share content that they may find funny,
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relatable, or a reminder of why the relationship began in the first place. Not only can this be a
new way to practice relationship maintenance, but it could also create another form of
communication in which romantic partners can express love through their preferred love
language and respond to their partner’s love language as well. This could mean spending quality
time together on the couch while watching TikTok videos together, sending a TikTok to your
partner that communicates affection and encouragement, or buying your partner a product that
you saw in a TikTok video as a gift. The idea that relationship maintenance has the potential to
be practiced using TikTok to express one’s love language, is a phenomenon that needs to be
studied as the app continues to grow and connect users worldwide.
Conclusion and Research Questions
Communication research is lacking in current studies that argue for a connection between
relationship maintenance and the social media platform TikTok, current studies of which mostly
focus on video challenges common to the app (Henneman, 2020). This is not surprising, as the
platform is still relatively new in the world of social media, but for this reason, it is evident that
additional study is required. As a form of social media, TikTok can impact a relationship
negatively due to the addicting presence of the platform. For example, someone may feel that
their needs, wants, and desires are not being met by a romantic partner, because the partner is too
invested in the app, thereby causing a rift in the relational maintenance routine that may have
been established by the couple (Arikewuyo, Lasisi et. al., 2020). TikTok also has the capacity to
bring couples together; for example, when romantic partners watch TikTok videos together that
cause a positive reaction between the couple, such as laughing at a funny video, they are
maintaining their bond in a positive manner by spending time together, thereby increasing
12
relational intimacy (Orben & Dunbar, 2017). However, any potential link that could be
established between relationship maintenance and TikTok requires further research.
As research develops about relationship maintenance, social media technology, the five
love languages, and TikTok, there is a possibility that each of these four topics could be related
to the other, thereby making the idea of them working together to decide the positive or negative
direction of a relationship an important area for further investigation. The following two
exploratory research questions guided this study:
RQ1: What is the role of the social media platform TikTok in the relationship
maintenance of romantic partners?
RQ2: How does the use of TikTok demonstrate a romantic partner’s own love
language as well as the love language of their partner?
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Method
Participant Selection
The eligibility requirements for this study included that each participant had to be
married or in a long-term romantic relationship (of at least one year). Participants also had to
have a TikTok account that they have been actively using for over a year on a day-to-day basis
and they also needed to report using this account to send TikTok content to their spouse or
partner on a regular basis. The Eastern Michigan University Human Subjects Review Committee
(UHSRC) reviewed and approved this study on January 27
th
, 2022 (see Appendix B).
Participants were recruited using snowball sampling because of the eligibility
requirements for the study. A recruitment post was developed and distributed using Facebook,
Twitter, and the Eastern Michigan University (EMU) Engage app. A recruitment email message
was also distributed to coworkers and friends who knew of people that might have shown
interest in the study, but no participants were recruited using this method. The most success was
found in recruiting participants through Facebook, specifically when the post was shared by
others on the platform. However, posting the recruitment advertisement on Facebook did not
yield enough participant; therefore, Twitter and the EMU Engage app were then used to gain
additional participants. Choosing to advertise the study on the EMU Engage app assisted in the
recruitment of the final participants needed for the study. Once participants expressed interest in
the study, they were asked to send an email message indicating their interest and requesting
further instructions. Once an email message was received, participants were provided with more
information about the study, given a consent form, the weblink to the love language quiz, and an
interview was scheduled via Zoom. Participants were also informed that their consent form must
14
be signed and sent by email message back to the researcher along with the results of their love
language quiz prior to their interview date.
Eight participants were recruited for this study ranging in age from 22 to 40. Of those
participants, four identified as male, three identified as female, and one identified as non-binary.
Seven out of eight participants identified as Caucasian, and one participant identified as Native
American. In addition to this, four out of eight participants were married to their partner, two
were engaged to their partner, and two were in a dating relationship with their partner. The
amount of time that participants had been in a romantic relationship with their partners ranged
from four to ten years. Lastly, all participants had an active TikTok account for a period of time
ranging from two to four years.
Research Procedures
Semi-structured interview methodology was employed, and the questions focused
specifically on how each participant practices relationship maintenance using TikTok and how
they express love to their partner through TikTok via one or more of the five love languages.
Interviews ranged in length from 20 to 30 minutes; see Appendix C for the interview protocol.
All participants were asked to take the love language quiz available on Gary Chapman’s website
(https://www.5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/love-language) before participating in the interview.
Participants were then asked to share these results with me before the interview process began.
Interviews were scheduled and conducted using the virtual meeting platform, Zoom.
Participants signed the consent form before the interviews began. Each interview was recorded
with the consent of participants, and the name of each participant has been changed to a number
to ensure anonymity. The results of the love language quiz taken by each participant was
15
introduced during the interview and provided the basis to discuss how love is expressed via
TikTok.
All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Each interview lasted from 20 to 40
minutes. Transcripts were 11 to 20 pages depending on the amount of detail given by the
participant. Thematic analysis was employed. The constant comparative method was used to
distinguish any similarities or common themes in the data (including the results of the love
language quiz; Kolb, 2012; Nowell et al., 2017). Themes were identified when reviewing the
transcripts of each participant; when multiple participants had similar responses to an interview
question, those similarities developed into a theme. Similar research has used this method with
small sample sizes to gather patterns and themes (Arikewuyo, Lasisi et al., 2020). Social media
and relationships have been successfully studied using qualitative methods; for example, Fox et
al. (2014) interviewed couples about the role that Facebook played in their relationship
maintenance. The constant comparative method was used to distinguish any similarities or
common themes found through document collecting (including the results of the love language
quiz) and interviews (Kolb, 2012).
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Results
Relationship maintenance is an important part of all romantic relationships, and the social
media app TikTok only adds to the multitude of ways in which relationship maintenance can be
practiced, thereby attending to the needs of each romantic partner. For example, TikTok can
assist romantic couples by providing an additional option for communication between partners,
no matter how far away they are from each other. In addition to this, TikTok can also help
romantic partners meet the needs of their love language, as well as their partner’s by sharing
videos and discussing videos with each other. The following sections will address the results of
the two research questions used to study how relationship maintenance is affected by TikTok,
and if the five love languages can be expressed using the TikTok app.
RQ1: What is the Role of the Social Media Platform TikTok in the Relationship
Maintenance of Romantic Partners?
Participants discussed several ways that they use TikTok for relationship maintenance
and six themes emerged from the data. These themes include self-disclosure, meta
communication, activity planning, maintaining a connection, humor, and the convenience of
TikTok in a romantic relationship. The theme that was found in most interviews, convenience, is
the main theme of this study. Participants conveyed that TikTok became an easy way to
communicate with their partner, even if they were together. Several participants stated that
sending TikTok videos during the day was easier than having a text conversation with their
partner, especially during work hours. In addition to this, participants explained that being able
to send TikTok videos that their partner would like assisted in easing the tension after a fight, or
helped their partner feel better if they were in a bad mood. Participant two described how, due to
17
her work hours conflicting with her partner’s, TikTok made it easy to have conversations with
her partner, even if they were serious:
We aren’t able to spend a whole lot of face-to-face time together because I work
first shift, and he works second. So even though we live together, we get about an
hour and a half a day that we’re both in the same place. So, it’s nice throughout
the day to be able to be like “Hey, I saw this thing, and I thought you would like
it, here you go.” Also, if one of us is in a particularly bad mood or if we’ve had an
argument, we know what each other likes, so we’ll send those videos to each
other.
As previously discussed, TikTok helps couples’ bond and maintain their relationship via
sharing video content on the platform for their partner to watch. Participants explained that one
of the reasons they use the TikTok app is for this convenience, specifically how easy the app
makes it for couples to communicate in a multitude of ways. For example, unlike social media
apps such as Snapchat, TikTok users can send videos to each other through the messaging tool in
the TikTok app, and the video will stay there even after the receiver has watched and reacted to
it. Each participant also expressed that it felt good to not only receive video content from their
partner, but to send it as well, because it meant that they were thinking about each other.
According to some participants, it was even common to share a video with their partner, and
have that same video appear on their TikTok for you page sometime later due to their algorithm.
Participant five discussed how sharing TikTok videos maintains the connection within his
relationship:
Because we are currently long distance from each other, it is a way to connect and
still send amusing things to each other. I feel pleased that I was sent a video
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because it means they were thinking of me and sent me something they thought
would be relevant to my interests. I also like it because, if I send them a story on
Instagram, it’ll go away within a day, where if I send them a TikTok, it will stay
there until the content is consumed.
Participant two explained how, in her relationship, TikTok content sent to her by her
partner and vice versa was an excellent tool to use when words could not express her feelings, in
addition to video content being easier to decipher than messages because a video can be watched
and heard, making it more convenient, than texting:
With texting, it’s a lot of like, okay, I have a thing that I want to say, while
TikTok, it’s pretty utilitarian. And it’s also nice because we don’t have to worry
about like, did the way that I said that over text read the way that it’s intended?
Self-disclosure was an evident theme in several interviews. Several participants
expressed that they enjoyed sharing TikTok videos that focused on a specific interest or hobby of
theirs so their partner could learn more about them, and vice versa. Even when casually
exchanging video content with one another, self-disclosure about one’s hobbies or interests
communicates to their romantic partner a broader range of TikTok content that they can share to
bond with their romantic partner or make them happy. Participant eight’s partner, who has a
passion for animals, explained a process in a video to him from a content creator that she enjoyed
watching, so he could gain insight into why she liked to learn about the maintenance of different
animals:
There’s this couple that she likes to watch, they are professional sheep, llama, and
alpaca shavers. When she first started showing them to me, the technique that
they have to use to shave them worried me; I didn’t want the animals to get hurt.
19
So, she talked to me and taught me a little bit of the process of how, like it’s not
painful, it’s just necessary so the animals don’t end up getting hurt and stuff. Then
she went back and showed some past videos so that I got a better idea and would
enjoy the videos more.
Meta-communication, or discussing the relationship, was also a popular theme discovered
while gathering data. Numerous participants described using the TikTok app to give examples or
explanations to their partner when their own words did not feel like enough during a serious
conversation. This not only resulted in clearer communication between partners, but also assisted
in maintaining the connection between romantic partners. For example, when entering a new
stage of the relationship, such as marriage or the birth of a child, a few participants agreed that
TikTok content was helpful in guiding important conversations. Participant three conveyed how
sharing TikTok content made it easier to discuss various issues with her partner:
We share videos because it allows to communicate what we want to say without
always having to find our own words. If it’s a relationship or a parenting video,
we will talk about it. Sometimes we don’t agree on parenting styles, but then we
talk about it and come to a compromise, or he understands my point.
Sustaining a connection within the relationship was another theme that was found. Most
participants agreed that sharing TikTok content with their romantic partner throughout the day
when at work or school helped maintain a strong connection between partners. Many also agreed
that receiving a TikTok video from their partner that made them laugh or was about one of their
interests helped strengthen the existing connection within the relationship. This was especially
important to participants in a long-distance relationship, many of which expressed that
exchanging TikTok content with their partner while they lived far away from each other became
20
a vital form of communication and bonding. Participant one explained that, due to their long-
distance relationship, TikTok helps her maintain a connection with her partner when they are
apart:
We send TikTok’s to each other multiple times a day. It connects us because we
are fourteen hours apart when it comes to time difference. So, many times, he will
wake up to tons and tons of TikTok’s, and then I’ll wake up or get out of work to
tons of TikTok’s. It’s nice being able to come home or wake up to that because
even though we can’t physically come home to each other, I can still wake up and
know that they were thinking of me, because they took the time to send me
videos.
The TikTok platform caters to a plethora of subjects, hobbies, and interest groups,
leading to the next theme: planning activities. Several participant interviews revealed that the
Tiktok app was great for planning activities that could be done with one’s romantic partner, such
as cooking new recipes and travelling to new places together. Participants explained that
planning these activities together and then pursuing them was a great way to spend time together
while creating new traditions within the relationship. For example, participant one agreed that
TikTok has helped her plan activities, such as cooking a new recipe, with her partner:
We have tried a lot of recipes, especially during the beginning of Covid, when
everyone was home. We actually found and developed a lot of recipes that we
really like, so we would cook them together. It was a fun way to spend time
together.
Lastly, humor was an obvious theme found when gathering data. Participants often
expressed that their main goal was to send a TikTok video to their romantic partner that would
21
find funny, and ultimately make them laugh. Participants explained that sending TikTok videos
to their partner that they found humorous was not only for their partner, but for the participant as
well, meaning that when a participant sent a TikTok video to their partner that made them laugh,
they also benefited from the satisfaction of entertaining their partner. Participant eight explained
how he felt witnessing his partner laugh at a video he had sent to her:
When she’s watching videos and she laughs or has a reaction, it makes me feel
good because it’s a validation of like, okay, so this was funny. I thought this was
funny and I thought you would enjoy it, and you did! So, I was correct.
All participants in this research indicated that the TikTok app has become a way for
couples to bond with each other, especially if they are a long-distance couple. This specific
connection was found in most of the interviews conducted for this study, indicating that romantic
partners could use the TikTok app as another form of shared activity. Participant one, who is in a
long-distance relationship, explained how she and her partner used TikTok when they were
together, and now that they must live apart:
When we were living together, being able to watch TikTok together was a great
bonding moment for us. There were many occasions where we would just be
scrolling on TikTok in our own, like still in the same room but on our own, and
we would just end up scrolling onto the same video at the same time. And that
was always just really funny because it just kind of showed like how connected
we were. Now when it comes to sending TikTok’s to each other, we send them to
each other for a multitude of reasons, whether it’s just we think the other person
would find this funny, we think the other person would find this relatable. It really
22
is just another way for us to talk to each other, and then also to show each other
that we do think about each other.
Some participants also agreed that sharing TikTok content allowed them to express
feelings or discuss topics with their partner that they may not be able to put into words, or that
they can’t discuss with their partner because they are, for example, at work. Participants then
explained that when they shared these types of videos with their partner, they would also leave a
little message stating that this video expressed their current feelings within the relationship, what
could be improved upon, what they should try to do together as a couple (such as a recipe or
activity), or how the video reminded them of their own relationship. Common examples used by
participants ranged from political topics, relationship advice, hobbies shared by the couple, and
parenting tips. Participant four confirmed this point:
I can’t always say to my partner look at this, this is funny, you should watch this
right now. I have to send it to her when I’m at work or something and I want her
to watch it immediately. I think that the app has impacted our relationship
positively because it allows us to open up about conversations that we may have
thought of, but never initiated a conversation on it.
Participant three agreed that TikTok can help couples discuss difficult topics, comparing
the platform to other social media sites:
If you’re having a hard time explaining something you’ve been wanting to talk
about? Um, find a video. Yeah, sometimes I use TikTok as Google. I feel like
90% of the time now there’s already a video on that content; it’s like the new
YouTube of this era.
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RQ2: How Does the use of TikTok Demonstrate a Romantic Partner’s own Love Language
as well as the Love Language of Their Partner?
Satisfaction and expression emerged as two common themes when discussing each
participant’s love language. For example, in addition to creating a space for relationship
maintenance, TikTok has become a place where one can express their love language to their
partner, while also satisfying the needs of their partner’s own love language, whether living
together or apart. Information gathered from participants also indicated that TikTok has made it
possible to establish a connection specific to the platform that can be easily maintained amongst
relational partners through four of the five love languages, thereby providing a form of
convenience for practicing relationship maintenance and a shared theme with the first research
question. Romantic partners can use TikTok to satisfy their love language in multiple ways,
whether they just want to laugh with their partner, watch videos with them, or remind their
partner that they are thinking of them. Furthermore, many participants stated that they wanted to
send videos to their romantic partner that would make them laugh, leading to the identification of
humor as another theme.
The love language quiz taken by each participant identified their primary and secondary
love languages; for primary love languages, three participants identified physical touch, three
participants identified words of affirmation, and two participants identified acts of service. Even
though no participants identified quality time as their primary love language, five out of eight
participants identified quality time as their second love language. Of the remaining participants
two identified words of affirmation as their secondary love language, one identified acts of
service as their secondary, and no participants identified physical touch as their secondary love
language.
24
Participants were able to easily discuss examples of quality time, words of affirmation,
acts of service, and physical touch. Receiving gifts was the only love language not mentioned by
the interviewees. Interestingly, similarities were identified between the love languages quality
time and physical touch, as well as words of affirmation and acts of service. Patterns were
identified between these two groupings illustrating that multiple love languages can be satisfied
at the same time over TikTok. Due to this discovery, instead of discussing the love languages
singularly, the results of each love language will be discussed with the language that it shares the
most similarities with, beginning with quality time and physical touch, and then ending with
words of affirmation and acts of service.
Quality Time and Physical Touch
Even though quality time was not identified as a primary love language by any of the
participants, all but three participants had quality time as their secondary love language.
Interestingly, the information gathered from interviews indicated that those who identify with
quality time may do so for reasons similar to those who identify with physical touch. For
example, participants who have quality time as their love language appreciate the TikTok app
because, like physical touch, it gives them the opportunity to relax with their partner by watching
TikTok content together and discussing the videos after. Most participants agreed that most of
their quality time is spent watching TikTok videos together or at least next to each other, either
on the couch after work or when in bed settling down for the night. Participant five confirmed
this by adding:
Before being long distance, it was good to like videos and just watch them before
bed, showing each other videos that we like or thought the other person would
25
like. We would save them throughout the day and scroll through our likes in bed,
showing each other about which ones we found amusing and relevant to the other.
Participant seven explained that they watch TikTok videos with their partner as a way to
laugh:
Most of the time we share a video or something like if we're watching TV or
whatever, we just laugh and it's just this funny. It just kind of breaks up the
seriousness of things at times.
Physical touch was identified by three of the eight participants in this study as their
primary love language. However, the interviews conducted for this study found that physical
touch shares similarities to quality time. For example, like quality time, partners with the love
language physical touch appreciate the TikTok app because it grants them an opportunity to
touch their partner when watching TikTok videos in a shared setting such as the couch in a living
room or the bed in a bedroom. An additional similarity was established through a common trend
amongst participants, saving videos throughout the day to watch with their partner later at home.
Participant five explains this practice:
We would save videos throughout the day and scroll through our likes in bed
while showing them to each other and talking to each other about the ones that we
found amusing or relevant to each other. We would get snuggled up next to each
other so we could both look through the phone and go through videos with each
other.
Participant eight expressed similar views:
I think that something I found is that, when it comes to touching, is that it’s not
always a really physical thing, it’s like a reactionary thing. I’m like, “I’m getting
26
this,” even though I’m using a sense of touch I’m also using one of the five senses
as a reaction from the stuff I’ve shown her. Sometimes I just like being able to
hear the reaction like laughter, or if it’s a dumb joke like being pushed a little bit
and stuff, playfully. It’s the reactions from those videos that really makes me
enjoy it.
Words of Affirmation and Acts of Service
Similar themes emerged when participants talked about words of affirmation and acts of
service. In fact, when discussing each love language, participants said relatively the same thing
about each; that when they are sent a video by their romantic partner, the participant feels that
the needs of their love language (words of affirmation or acts of service) was met because their
partner was thinking of them in some capacity. However, there were minor differences. For
example, even though words of affirmation was not the primary or secondary love language of
some of the participants, all participants agreed that when they received a video from their
partner, it felt like an affirmation for them that their partner was thinking of them, even if there
was no explicit message of affirmation. Partners that had words of affirmation as their love
language also appreciated the TikTok app because their partner can send them videos with sweet
messages, words of encouragement, or content that confirmed their partner is not only thinking
of them, but also cares about them. Participant two discussed how they view words of
affirmation in her TikTok exchanges with her partner:
Over the course of the pandemic, we’ve both changed jobs a few times, and a lot
of the time we’re not working the same schedule, so we don’t get to spend a lot of
time together. Once we had TikTok, even if one of us was working and the other
wasn’t, it was easy to be like “Okay, I’m taking a five-minute break. I was
27
looking at this, and I saw this, and I thought of you.” It’s just been really nice to
have that little thing that we can send each other.
Participant eight explained that the reaction he gets from a video that he sent to his
partner satisfies his need for affirmation:
The affirmation within our relationship is really important to me, and so even
little things, like “oh this video made me think of you” or “oh, there’s a really cute
cat in this video and I knew you would love it,” it’s just positive affirmation that
my partner does think about me and everything.
The love language acts of service was not as popular as words of affirmation, with only
two out of eight participants identifying this as their primary love language, and one participant
identifying it as their secondary. However, like words of affirmation, partners with this love
language as their primary language appreciate the TikTok app because when their partner sends
them videos, it means they’re thinking of them and took the time to send them a video they may
enjoy. Participants with this as their love language emphasized that there was strong meaning
behind the act of their partner sending videos to them because it reminded their partner of them,
or something having to do with their life together. Therefore, while acts of service is like words
of affirmation in the sense that the participants like that their partner is thinking of them, it is
unique due to the appreciation for the action being taken by one’s romantic partner to send the
video versus the message behind the video being sent. These participants associated positive
feelings with the exchanging of TikTok videos, and how it made them feel knowing that their
partner sent these videos to them as a way of making them laugh or feel good about themselves.
Participant one expanded on this by describing how acts of service is used as her primary love
language:
28
When it comes to acts of service, I get really happy when I go to look at my
messages and I see that I have TikTok’s that he’s sent me because it reminds me
that he’s thinking of me, and this TikTok specifically reminded him of me, so he
thought to send it to me. A lot of acts of service is knowing that they thought of
you, and they did something for you, just because they were thinking of you, and
know that it makes you happy.
Participant four said something similar about his partner, whose primary love language is
acts of service. He explained that she uses TikTok content to satisfy her love language, while
also satisfying his (words of affirmation):
When she sends me things, like another person giving me words of affirmations,
it’s not like I’m receiving it from the person that made the video. I know that she
is sending me that because she cares about me and that’s what she wants to
communicate sometimes. Maybe she didn’t know how to communicate it or
maybe she did, but she wanted to use a video to say it.
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Discussion
The practice of relationship maintenance is successful when a romantic couple
establishes a routine together and maintains it (Stafford & Canary, 1991). This study has shown
that the social media platform TikTok is becoming an important addition in the routine of
romantic partners to maintain their bond as a couple. Additionally, TikTok has made it possible
to create an attachment specific to the platform that can be easily maintained amongst relational
partners through four of the five love languages. However, the results previously discussed are
not consistent with research conducted by Orben and Dunbar (2017), whose data show a
decreasing desire for face-to-face interaction due to a growing preference for social media
technology. According to the data collected from participant interviews, watching TikTok videos
with one’s romantic partner has become a popular way to spend time together as a couple,
requiring face to face communication for reactions to video content and discussion.
TikTok has also become a successful channel for expressing love to one’s partner
through video content, and having that love reciprocated by one’s partner in the same way. Due
specifically to TikTok’s video content feature, it is evolving into a tool that couples, whether
together or long distance, can use to express a clear message to their partner that they have
thought of them at some point during the day, even if that is not communicated verbally or face
to face. TikTok has become an important asset for many, especially those whose love language is
words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, or acts of service. According to a study by
Ince and Isik (2021), each love language represents a need that each partner has in a romantic
relationship, and the TikTok platform has created a direct and easy path to satisfying these needs,
of which can be shown in a multitude of ways. For example, when someone sends a video to
their partner because it reminds them of that person, when they send a video that explicitly
30
conveys a message of encouragement, love, or reassurance, or when a couple is simply watching
videos with each other while cuddled up together.
This study expands research in the field of social media communication and interpersonal
communication by analyzing how the social media app TikTok is used amongst romantic
partners to practice relationship maintenance while also satisfying their primary love language,
and the love language of their partner. This study gives insight into how TikTok users,
specifically those in romantic relationships, use the app independently, or with someone else.
Therefore, scholars studying the TikTok app and how it affects communication between users
can benefit from this research. Those studying interpersonal relationships, specifically that of
romantic partners, can use this study to expand their knowledge of how romantic partners use
social media to maintain communication with each other while also using social media as a
bonding experience. Specifically, this research gives unique insight into how TikTok is slowly
becoming a form of relational bonding and communication. For example, the information
provided here may assist those studying proxemic relationships by describing how TikTok has
helped long-distance couples still feel connected to one another.
This study has also shown that romantic partners can use TikTok to practice relationship
maintenance with their partner through the exchange of video content on the TikTok app.
Whether together or apart, the ability to share content with each other and discuss it with one’s
partner allows romantic partners to maintain the bond they already share. For example, as
previously discussed, TikTok provides an option for romantic couples to expand on tough
discussions using video content produced by other couples that have navigated similar issues. In
addition to this, communication tactics used in romantic partnerships are expanding using
TikTok’s sharing, tagging, and messaging system. Several participants in this study agreed that a
31
large portion of communication with their partner occurs on the TikTok app, including
responding to a message, reacting to video content, or sharing video content with their partner.
Lastly, this research adds to existing research about the five love languages, and how
social media can impact how romantic couples satisfy their own love language, as well as the
love language of their partner. This study indicates that more than one love language can be
satisfied at one time by using the TikTok app with a romantic partner. For example, participants
with the love languages quality time and/or physical touch shared similarities in how they liked
to express their love language, and therefore would in a sense hit two birds with one stone when,
for example, they cuddle on the couch with their romantic partner while watching TikTok videos
together. This result was also seen with the love languages words of affirmation and acts of
service; both love languages had similar results that signify they can be satisfied on their own as
well as at the same time. The love language receiving gifts was not identified during the
interview process. This could have occurred for two reasons, the first being that there were no
participants with receiving gifts as their primary or secondary love language. Another possibility
is that no participants view content by TikTok creators that sell some sort of product that may
interest them or their romantic partner, meaning the content algorithm that TikTok has designed
based on the participant’s current interests may not include a TikTok account that sells products,
thereby preventing the user from purchasing any products that may have been advertised through
the TikTok app.
32
Conclusions, Limitations, and Suggestions for Future Research
Due to its specific nature, the eligibility requirements for this study caused some
difficulty during the recruitment process. For example, recruiting participants through Facebook
posts was useful, but it was expressed by several individuals that they could not participate in the
study because either they or their partner did not have a TikTok account, or they did not share
content with their partner regularly. It was also discovered that some participants did not see the
initial Facebook recruitment message due to the Facebook algorithm, which prevents the
Facebook user from viewing posts on their Facebook wall that do not meet their initial interests.
The sample size was small, leading to seven out of eight participants identifying as Caucasian,
and resulting in a lack of diversity in the participant pool.
Future research could benefit from a more diverse participant pool and broadening the
eligibility requirements of this study should it be duplicated. One suggestion would be to include
participants who have been in a romantic relationship for a little less than a year, possibly 8 to 10
months at least. Researchers could also recruit participants through the TikTok app by creating
video content advertising their study with hashtags that are popular when the video is published.
TikTok was not considered as a recruitment tool for this study because the researcher was
concerned with the length of time it would take to gather a response from interested individuals.
Additionally, further research could study how romantic partners in a face-to-face relationship
use the TikTok app to communicate versus how romantic partners in a long-distance relationship
use TikTok. Future research could study the differences in communication practices on TikTok
amongst partners within the same location versus romantic partners that live father away from
each other.
33
Another suggestion would be to adjust the interview questions for this study to
incorporate more discussion about the five love languages. Additionally, based on evidence
previously explained, the love languages are continuously expressed on the TikTok app, and
further research could have the potential to discover new information about how the five love
languages can be applied to various social media platforms. Future research could also benefit
from learning how TikTok represents some love languages better than others, and if a user’s
TikTok algorithm plays a role in love language representation. Lastly, because my research
found no evidence of receiving gifts on TikTok, I would also encourage future research to
explore how products viewed on TikTok that were then purchased and given to a romantic
partner might provide the necessary satisfaction of the love language receiving gifts.
Due to TikTok being a relatively new form of social media, there is little research that
currently exists about the app and how it is used in the daily lives of those that operate it. The
findings in this study revealed that as the TikTok platform continues to evolve, users in romantic
relationships can use it to create discussion between themselves and their partner as well as make
their partner smile, laugh, or alter a bad mood. It was also found that TikTok has the capability to
satisfy the needs of each partner, including their love language, by granting them access to video
content that they will enjoy, and then share with their partner so they can view the video
together. These features can help people in romantic relationships maintain their relationship
from wherever they are, whether it be at work or in another country, through constant
communication and connection. As the TikTok app gains more users and the variety of
communities within the app continue to grow, romantic relationships will continue to grow with
it due to its convenience as a tool for not only communication, but also for expression of oneself
to one’s romantic partner through new and shared interests.
34
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Appendix A: A Description of Each of the Five Love Languages
Words of Affirmation
According to Chapman’s (2015) book, words of affirmation are verbal compliments or
words of appreciation that encourage one’s partner (p. 38). This love language encourages the
user to say comforting or encouraging words to their partner such as “thank you for doing the
dishes tonight; I know you’re tired from work today, and I really appreciate it” or even
something as simple as “you look beautiful this morning!” Words of affirmation can be simple, if
they express the love, kindness, and appreciation necessary for adult interactions (Bland &
McQueen, 2018).
Quality Time
One of the most popular love languages is quality time. For this love language, romantic
partners need to give each other their complete attention; this means that no music is playing, the
television is turned off, and the couple is focused solely on each other. According to Chapman
(2015), this does not mean sitting with each other in silence and simply existing; instead, it
means that a couple is initiating in an activity, while being completely concentrated on one
another (pg. 60). If the activity that the couple engages in brings them together and allows them
to establish an emotional connection, it can be considered quality time.
Receiving Gifts
Those whose primary love language is receiving gifts rely more on the thought behind the
gift than the object itself. According to Chapman (2015), it does not matter how much the gift
cost or if it cost anything at all, just that your significant other thought of you when they saw it
38
and obtained it for you as a sign of affection, in the hopes that you would enjoy it (p. 77). Gifts
can also come from anywhere whether that’s the store or your backyard, the symbolism behind it
is what truly matters. However, there is a distinct gift that is more important than something
bought in a store or found on a walk, and that is the gift of presence. This gift can be of the
utmost importance, especially when your partner is experiencing a crisis (Bland & McQueen,
2018). Being there for a romantic partner when they need it the most symbolizes the same form
of affection and thoughtfulness that any object could, maybe even more so.
Acts of Service
This love language brings the idea that actions speak louder than words to life; when a
partner participates in actions that assist their partner, it becomes a symbol of love and thought
for the other person (Bunt & Hazelwood, 2017). An act of service tends to require prior thought,
planning, time, effort, and energy (p. 92). This can include basic tasks your partner performs
such as, walking the dog, putting dishes away, raking leaves, or even putting the kids to bed. If
the task was completed out of love and appreciation for the other person, it is considered an act
of service.
Physical Touch
Finally, there is physical touch. From the moment we are born, physical touch becomes
an important aspect of development; it's how we experience and express love with our family,
friends, and romantic partners. Physical touch can include kissing, hugging, sexual intercourse;
any kind of touch that leaves your partner feeling loved (Chapman, p. 108). However, it is
important to remember that everyone’s version of physical touch is different, and your romantic
partner will need to establish where and how much of that touch they require from you.
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Appendix B: IRB Approval
The Eastern Michigan University Human Subjects Review Committee (UHSRC)
reviewed and approved this thesis study on January 27
th
, 2022. This study was under limited
review and was approved for exempt status. There were no drugs, biological products, or
medical devices used in this study. There was no face-to-face contact with participants, as each
interview was conducted via Zoom. The data for this study will be kept in a password protected
file on a password protected computer for the duration of five years, after which all files will be
deleted, and the trash emptied on my computer. As previously stated, each participant has had
their name changed to an assigned number to protect their anonymity.
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Appendix C: Interview Questions
Part 1: Demographic Information and Overview Questions
1. How long have you been in a relationship with your significant other?
2. How old are you?
3. What is your race?
4. What is your gender identification?
5. How long have you had a TikTok account, and how do you primarily use it? (To create
content, to watch content, or both? What types of content do you create or watch?)
6. What prompted you to get a TikTok account? What do you like most about it?
Part 2: TikTok for Relationship Maintenance
7. Tell me why you and your partner share and watch TikTok videos with each other.
8. How often do you share TikTok videos with your partner?
9. What kind of TikTok videos do you share with your partner?
10. What happens as a result of sharing videos? (e.g., how do you feel when receiving a
video from your partner? How do you feel about your partner’s reaction to a video you
sent them? Do you discuss videos that you send each other? Do you purchase products,
cook recipes, or try hacks from the videos, for example?)
11. Do you watch TikTok videos together with your partner, in a face-to-face setting?
Describe the kinds of videos you watch together and what happens as a result (e.g., do
you talk about the videos? Who initiates watching the videos together? How do you feel
about watching the videos together?)
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12. When was a time that you and your partner discussed a TikTok video that you did not
agree with?
13. Have you and your partner ever created a TikTok video together?
a. If yes, explain a time or two when you made a video together. What was the
experience like?
b. If not, why not and would you ever consider making a video together?
14. How has having a TikTok account impacted your relationship with your partner overall?
(e.g., in a positive way? In a negative way?)
15. If you could give other couples one piece of advice about using TikTok in a relationship,
what would it be?
16. The Love Language quiz that you took revealed that your primary love languages are X
and Y. How do you think this might connect to your use of TikTok with your partner
(that we discussed earlier)? In other words, is your use of TikTok in any way an
expression of yours and your partner’s love language?
17. Talk about your use of TikTok vs. other types of social media (Instagram, Facebook,
Twitter, Snapchat, etc.) - how do you use them similarly or differently with your partner?
