Cowan_Journal Article Analysis #1
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FLIRTATIOUS COMMUNICATION IN MARRIAGE
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Flirtatious Communication in Marriage: A Journal Article Analysis
Azariya Cowan
Department of Communication Arts, Georgia Southern University
COMS 2330: Introduction to Communication Research
Dr. Patrick Wheaton
February 27, 2024
Flirtatious Communication in Marriage: A Journal Article Analysis
Frisby and Booth-Butterfield (2012) conducted research within the discovery paradigm. This knowledge explains the discovery of relationships between flirtation and relational maintenance in marriages. One of the goals was to discover the purpose of flirting with a marital partner (Merrigan & Huston, 2015). In the discovery paradigm, reality is singular, or objective. Frisby and Booth-Butterfield (2012) have two hypotheses, expressing the increase in marital satisfaction, which led to more positive interpretations of flirtatious communication between spouses, and the attachment styles, within marital relationships. Frisby and Booth-Butterfield (2012) made explanatory claims, which are found in the discovery paradigm (Merrigan & Huston, 2015).
Importance of the Topic:
Frisby and Booth-Butterfield (2012) study flirtatious communication in marital
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relationships. This gains insight into the dynamic of marital interactions, enhances martial communication and intimacy, and helps understand communication patterns in marriages, managing conflict, resolving issues, and how couples engage in flirtatious behavior during challenges. (p. 465-467).There are many factors that can affect flirtatious communication, such as how it reflects broader social and cultural norms and influences discussions on gender roles and power dynamics, as well as societal expectations (Merrigan & Huston, 2015). Research Claim Identification:
(Frisby & Booth-Butterfield, 2012) claimed that the understanding and motivations behind marital dynamics and satisfaction. This is further stated when examining specific behaviors, motivations, and outcomes associated with flirtation. Frisby et al. (2012) conclude that “thus display and attentive flirting likely assure the marital partner of continuing interest, attraction, and romance.” (p. 11). ultimately exploring behaviors within marital relationships such as playful teasing, compliments, and nonverbal cues. Researchers within the discovery paradigm make predictive and/or explanatory claims. They explore the motivations behind these behaviors, which maintain connection, and intimacy. Frisby et al. (2012) made both explanatory and predictive claims when they investigated flirtatious communication and marital satisfaction, suggesting that couples who engage in flirtatious interactions may experience higher levels of fulfillment due to a sense of playfulness, excitement, and emotional closeness (Frisby et al., 2012). Research Data and Methodology:
Frisby et al. (2012) obtained their data through quantitative methods, a study aimed to
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investigate the dynamics and motivations behind flirtatious communications in marital relationships. The independent variable represents the different ways in which marital partners engage in flirtatious communication, while the dependent variable reflects the resulting changes or effects on the partners' relationship dynamics, satisfaction, or quality (Frisby et al., 2012). Students were instructed to recruit either a husband or a wife, but not couples, to complete the surveys (Frisby et al., 2012). Frisby et al. recruited 164 married couples from marital relationships and conducted specific questionnaires, surveys, and interviews assessing their experiences and perceptions to collect data on flirtatious communication. Frisby et al. created two scenarios and asked the participants to complete the questionnaire for flirtatious communication in marriage. The questionnaire included surveys completed by men (66), women (94), and four who did not report their sex. The participants were between 19 and 74 years old. Participants reported being married between 1 month and 53 years, and represented couples who had children (96) and those who did not (66) (Frisby et al., 2012). The scale measuring flirting motivation was developed by Henningsen et al. (2008), and includes four items for each of the six flirting motivations: sexual, relational, fun, exploring, instrumental, and self-esteem. Research Warrant Identification:
Research warrants back up the relationship between both the claim and the data through the reliability and validity found through the research methods. Reliability is the warrant for discovery paradigm research (Merrigan & Huston, 2015). Frisby et al. (2012) obtained their data through many surveys and interviews on flirtatious communication between marital partners. Frisby et al. noted the statistical significance of reliability, indicating that the items on a scale consistently measure the same underlying construct. For example, it was reported that the CFA
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“revealed that stereotypical and conversational dimensions of flirting behavior were problematic,
and neither scale could be improved by dropping items and “attentiveness” and “display flirting.”
(Frisby et al., 2012, p. 8). Frisby et al. noted the reliability of their various parts of their questionnaire, warranting their data and claims within the discovery paradigm. which is crucial for drawing meaningful conclusions and implications from their research on flirtatious communication between marital partners.
Significance of the Study:
Frisby et al. (2012) shed light on the dynamics of flirtatious communication within marriages. Frisby et al.
highlight the importance of their findings by highlighting how flirtatious behavior can improve marriages. They claim that flirtatious communication helps couples express their emotional relationships. Furthermore, Frisby et al. (2012) highlight the importance of understanding the nuances of flirtatious interaction in marriages, as it can contribute to marital
satisfaction and overall relationship quality. “This study extends upon the limited research on flirtation in ongoing committed relationships.” and married individuals. “The motives which drive spouses to flirt with their marital partners, and the behaviors which they employ are unique
to this population.” (p.13). Frisby et al. (2012) highlight that understanding the importance of flirtatious communication can support couples in overcoming obstacles and maintaining long-
term relationships. They claim that flirting can strengthen a marriage by creating a playful and happy environment, which encourages resilience. “To the extent that flirtation is implicated in competence, heightening both flirtatious behaviors and communication competence has the potential to improve marital relationships.” and “Future research could explore flirtatious communication workshops for potential contributions to individual’s positive marital interaction
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and outcomes.” (Frisby et al., 2012, p. 13)
References
Frisby, B. N., & Booth-Butterfield, M. (2012). The “how” and “why” of flirtatious communication between marital partners. Communication Quarterly, 60(4), 465- 480. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463373.2012.704568
Henningsen, D. D., Braz, M., & Davies, E. (2008). Why do we flirt? Journal of Business Communication, 45, 483–502. doi: 10.1177=0021943608319390
Merrigan, G., & Huston, C. L. (2015). Communication research methods (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.