The focus group discussed relationships at Marist College. Most participants started as single or in long distance relationships and felt closed off, lacking friends. Once single, they began socializing more. Those who found relationships at Marist felt supported and more confident participating in social activities with friends and partners. However, limitations included honesty, diversity in demographics. Overall, the small size of Marist leads students to couple off, unlike larger schools with stronger hookup cultures.

1. Focus Group:
Marist College
Relationship
Culture
Lauren Melagrano
Bella Giacalone
Nicole Iuzzolino
Ariana DeJesus

2. Group Members and Assigned Roles
Moderator - Lauren Melagrano
Assistant Moderator Bella Giacalone
Note Taker One - Ariana DeJesus
Note Taker Two - Nicole Iuzzolino

3. Research Question
Topic - Marist College Relationships
Description of Topic - In college, students find themselves in many different
relationships such as, same school relationships, long-distance relationships, single
and content, or partaking in the hookup culture.
Research Question - We want to compare people who are in relationships with
people who are single at Marist College and discuss, in detail, their personal views
and experiences regarding relationships.
Focus Group Objectives - Have our focus group participants openly discuss both
their positive and negative experiences, feelings, opinions regarding whichever
relationship category they fall in and how their relationship status has affected their
overall college experience.

4. Introduction - Literature Review
“In a study of dating jealousy, questionnaires were administered to 147 male and 189 female college
students. Subjects were asked to rate how they would feel about their dating partner's behavior in five
hypothetical situations” ( Hansen, 1985).
“This study investigated 832 college students’ experiences with hooking up, a term that refers to a range of
physically intimate behavior that occurs outside of a committed relationship”(Owen, Rhoades, Stanley,&
Fincham, 2010).
“The extreme long distance relationship was perceived less favorable than the other two relationship types.
Specifically a peer in an extreme long relationship was perceived as less likely to remain in the relationship,
less faithful, as putting less effort into the relationship, and as having a lower overall quality of relationship” (
Skinner,2005).

5. Introduction - Logic for Current Study
The logic behind our research topic was our interest in how Marist College students handle
different relationships in college and certain social situations. We wanted to be able to classify different
students opinions and reasonings for their romantic actions.

6. Method
● Non-Probability Convenience Sampling
● Participant Criteria - Marist Student
● Interviewer Measure Taken - No opinion of the interviewer was given in order
to insure the participants were not being influenced and basis were not
created

7. Pre Focus Group Discussion Survey

8. Pre Focus Group Discussion Survey

9. Pre Focus Group Discussion Survey
What is your ethnicity? (open ended)
White - 6 participants
White/ European - 1 participant
African American - 1 participant

10. Focus Group Discussion Questions
● What is your name? What year in school are you? What is your major? Where are you from?
● What is your current relationship status; long-distance relationship, on-campus relationship, single
or other and please describe if you are in another type of relationship.
● In your personal experience, do you find that at Marist College you are surrounded by other Marist
students who are in relationships or single?

11. Focus Group Discussion Questions
● Do you find that the people who you are surrounded by influence, pressure and/or support your
relationship status?
● How does being in a college relationship affect your personal experience in participating in college
nightlife activities such as parties, bars and going out? How does being single in college affect your
personal experience in college nightlife activities such as parties, bars and going out?
● What do you feel are the pros of your personal relationship status, and what do you feel are the cons
for the relationship statuses that you have chosen not to partake in?
● What do you feel are the pros of your personal relationship status, and what do you feel are the cons
for the relationship statuses that you have chosen not to partake in?
● Overall, how do you feel your personal relationship status has enhanced or benefited your Marist
College experience.

12. Results
- The majority of individuals who started college in long distance relationships
felt closed off
- Lack of friends
- Feelings of transferring
- Avoided going out
- Once the majority of the individuals were single, they changed completely
- Started going out
- Created bonds with guys and girls
- Became more confident and open
- Able to discover themselves
- The individuals who found relationships in college felt:
- Happy with the support system
- An increased confidence level
- Able to go out and enjoy time with friends and significant other
- Current Status:
- Everyone is content

13. Discussion
● Limitations:
○ Honesty
○ Vocality
○ Diversity
■ Race
■ Gender
■ Where they are from
■ Class Standing
● Due to the lack of diversity, the responses we received,
may not reflect Marist College as a whole.

14. Conclusion ● Colleges have a high hook-up culture rates
● After our focus group study, we concluded that due to the
small size of Marist College, it leads to its students
coupling off
● This allows Marist College to have a refreshingly unique
environment in contrast to its academic counterparts