Abstract

The present study investigated the effect of social reinforcement on dating violence perpetration and victimization among college-aged individuals who are regular social media users. The purpose of the study is to add to the current body of research on dating violence as it applies specifically to the college-aged population and to assess the influence of social reinforcement from social media. An anonymous online survey distributed via email and social networks included questions about social media use, dating violence victimization and perpetration experiences, and perceptions of peer beliefs about dating violence. The results reveal that individuals who are regular social media users experience a social reinforcement effect on perpetration rates. This study has implications in understanding our deepening connections to the online world and how those connections impact real-world experiences.

Notes

If this is your thesis or dissertation, and want to learn how to access it or for more information about readership statistics, contact us at STARS@ucf.edu

Graduation Date

2022

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Reckdenwald, Amy

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Sociology

Degree Program

Applied Sociology; Domestic Violence Track

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0009335; DP0027058

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0027058

Language

English

Release Date

December 2025

Length of Campus-only Access

3 years

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Campus-only Access)

Download

Restricted to the UCF community until December 2025; it will then be open access.

Share

COinS