The document discusses electronic communication and social networking among college students. It begins by introducing how technology has advanced communication and the importance of staying connected for college students. While tools like email, texting, and social media make communication easy, face-to-face interaction is still important for relationship development due to nonverbal cues. The document then examines research on how electronic communication impacts relationships and how social networking sites like Facebook enhance connections while still requiring in-person contact to truly develop relationships.

1.
Penna,
1
I. Introduction:
Electronic Communication, Social Networking and Relationship Development
Technology in the 21st century is continuously advancing. Everyday new ideas and devices
are developed to make the communication process easier and more efficient. In today’s society,
just about everyone has a cell phone, computer or laptop. For young adults, especially college
students, being able to stay in contact with high school friends and family, and meeting new
friends is an important component to their lifestyle, as this is a time of emerging adulthood,
where they are learning who they are and what types of people they want to be around
(Cummings & Kraut, 2002). These devices help college students to achieve this with electronic
communication, primarily through e-mail, and text messaging, which will be discussed in this
review. These devices make communicating with countless amounts people as easy has hitting a
few buttons on a keypad. Besides electronic communication, a fairly new phenomenon known
as social networking has become a popular way to stay connected. Web sites like Facebook
make it even easier to stay in touch with friends and family, this is why these sites have become
so popular among undergraduates.
Many studies have shown that the use of technology and social networking has not
diminished relationships, but has improved them. College students have been asked various
questions about their use of electronic devices and social networking sites. A consensus seems
to be that students do not use it as a way to avoid talking with someone in person, but rather as a
way to leave a quick message that does not require a response (Cronin 2008; Pennington 2008 &
Wiese 2009). This is an example of how this new form of communication can change
relationships; it is a way of enhancing these connections between people, as long as face-to face
communication continues. This type of communication is particularly valuable for students

2.
Penna,
2
living away from home while at college. Being away from home can be tough, but social
networking sites make it easy to communicate, leave messages and share photos of their new
experiences. They also allow you to view your friend’s profiles and see what they’re up to, even
though you may not be in contact with them on a daily basis. These new technologies have
changed interpersonal communication as well as youth relationship development by minimizing
face-to-face communication, which involves much more than words (Dohen, 2010; Schwartz,
2010).
Many scholars have studied this concept of computer mediated and electronic
communication, as well as the use of social networks and how it changes relationships. The
purpose of this assessment is to review what scholars have found on the topic of relationships
and electronic communication. In better understanding this growing and widespread
communication form, it will help us to learn how to use these technologies to enhance, rather
than diminish our connections with other people. This is important to the field of
Communication Studies because technology is constantly evolving and this from of interaction is
something that will only grow over the years. For these reasons, this topic is the focus of this
literature review.
This review is divided into three sections. The first focuses on Emerging adulthood,
(Arnett, 2000; Steinfield, 2009 & Lampe, 2009) and the importance of face-to- face and
nonverbal communication. While electronic communication is efficient, there still is no
replacement for face-to-face communication, where nonverbal cues are vital to understanding
messages (Docan-Morgan, Harvey & Manusov, 2008; Dohen, Schwartz, 2010 & Duke, 2001).
These negative effects of technological communication seem to be studied less often than the
positive effects. All relationships, whether it is friendship, romantic, or family, need careful

3.
Penna,
3
attention in order to grow and develop. These technological advances minimize the amount of
time people actually spend together, which greatly effects relationship development. The second
section focuses on electronic communication forms, like e-mail and text messaging which has
become a part of everyday communication. The final section will discuss social networking
websites, primarily Facebook, and how it has changed communication and friendships among
college students. There is an abundant amount of literature that discusses these two topics.
Finally, the conclusion section will discuss the overall findings of all the literature, what all this
means to the field of communication, as well as some suggested research topics that could be
further studied because of the information this review has revealed.
II. Emerging Adulthood and Face-to Face Communication:
Relationship Development Among College Students
Before discussing research on the effect electronic communication has on relationships, it
is important to understand what is involved in maintaining these relations besides words and
conversation. Learning how to create and maintain new relationships is especially important
when young adults go off to college, as this is an important part of psychological development.
Nonverbal communication or Face-to–face communication are important components to this
period of emerging adulthood, which occurs during the ages of 18-25 (Steinfield, 2009 &
Lampe, 2009). It is important to realize why communicating in relationships will not be
successful simply through electronic media.
Face-to-face (FTF) communication is a key component to relationship development.
Without it, it is almost impossible to have a successful relationship. In any context, FTF
communication involves speech, which is interactive. It involves linguistic, emotional,

4.
Penna,
4
expressive, as well as cognitive social dimensions (Dohen, Schwartz & Bailly 2008). During
communication, it is very important to be able to see as well as hear the sounds and words that
are being produced and spoken. Prosody, the phrasing, rhythm and intonation of words and
sounds are very important in the process of spoken communication (Dohen, Schwartz, 2008).
This also includes nonverbal communication that involves gestures, gaze, body language and
facial expressions and personality (Schwartz, 2008; Manusov, Docan & Harvey, 2008). These
elements are crucial in relationship development and are something that is lacking during
electronic communication. This could lead to misinterpreted messages and could result in
problems within relationships.
A major component to FTF is nonverbal communication. These cues are very important
in relationships and are used to understand messages sent between those involved. This type of
communication is very important in FTF and helps relationships develop (Manusov, Docan,
Harvey, 2008). This type of communication is also not prevalent in electronic communication
such as text messaging and email and has an effect on all types of relationships. Guerrero and
Floyd (2006) state, “Nonverbal communication is also a potent means for showing affection,
expressing positive emotions and other wise maintaining satisfying relationships (p.1-2). An
important component to nonverbal communication has to do with physical space. This helps
relationships develop because we are able to look at each other, which reduces uncertainty in
relationships. It also allows us to be able to make decisions about compatibility. Many visual
elements are a part of this such as, clothing style, body types, age, ethnicity and gender
(Steinfield, 2009 & Lampe, 2009). These types of cues are not available during electronic or
Internet communication, and because of this we may not make lasting connections or
relationships.

5.
Penna,
5
Research has found that the four main nonverbal cues which could create turning points
in relationships are; touch, space, environment and time. Studies have also been performed
where most participants recalled events that a nonverbal signal changed something in their
relationship with another person. (Dohen, Schwartz 2008; Manusov, Docan & Harvey, 2008).
This study is important because it provided evidence of the importance of nonverbal and FTF
communication in relationships, which is something that is not found in electronic
communication and social networking. It is important to realize that these elements of the
communication process should not be lost in any type of relationship and that when using
electronic communication, it is important to remember FTF communication is still necessary to
maintain a true relationship.
The time of emerging adulthood is most relevant among college students. It is a time
when, “many different directions remain possible…when the scope of independent exploration
of life’s possibilities is greater for most people than it will be at any other period of their life
course” (Arnett, 2000). During this time, college students are engaging in this exploration of
identity by meeting new people and forming new relationships. As a result, students have a wide
network of causal friends and acquaintances. This is especially important to communication
because being able to interact with a diverse group of people is an essential life skill to have
(Steinfield, 2009; Lampe, 2009). Electronic communication and social networks allows for a
convenient way for students to keep in touch with new and old friends, although, FTF
communication is necessary to maintain and enhance these relationships.
III. Electronic Communication:
E-mail and Text Messaging Among College Students

6.
Penna,
6
Socially Interactive Technologies (SITs) include instant messaging, text messaging, and
e-mail. These types of technologies are popular among young adults and college students
because they offer fast paced and inexpensive online communication (Bryant, Sanders &
Smallwood, 2006). Youths are using these SITs as a way to enhance their communication with
family and friends, as well as a way to maintain social contact with those that they may not see
on a day-to-day basis. This is especially relevant for college students because they are away
from home. These new technologies make it easy for them to be able to communicate with
people outside of their college campus. SITs are also becoming more and more popular because
they are faster than traditional methods of communication. It is interesting to note that research
has found that even though these technologies are growing, students tend to hold longer and in
depth conversations offline (Grinter, Elderidge, 2003; Lenheart, Madden & Hirlin, 2005).
One popular form of electronic communication is text messaging. This type of computermediated communication is different from all other forms because it is not anonymous (Bryant,
Sanders & Smallwood, 2006). Since text messaging involves cell phones and phone numbers,
you have to know the person’s number before being able to send them a message. It is difficult
to get someone’s phone number without having a relationship with them first. Text messaging is
usually used to enhance communication among interpersonal relationships (Bryant, Sanders,
Smallwood, 2006). It is also a quick and convenient form of communication that many college
students utilize to send messages to their friends and family. Not much research has been done
on the effects of text messaging on interpersonal relationships, as opposed to other forms of
electronic communication. But clearly it is a very easy and popular form of communication
among college students.

7.
Penna,
7
The Internet, along with email, affects interpersonal relationships. This form of
communication allows for college students to keep in touch with family and friends, wherever
they may live. According to Cummings and Kraut (2002), “ the growth in the number of
Americans online means that people can use the Internet to keep in touch with a larger
proportion of their friends and relationships” (p. 229). This is one of the reasons why internet
and electronic communication has become so popular among students at various institutions
across the country. The Internet has revolutionized family relationships (Johnson, Haigh, Craig
& Wigley, 2007). However, people should not view e-mail as a substitute for FTF, or even
telephone communication. It should simply be used as a way of enhancing communication,
when other methods are not available (Duke, 2001).
Because of the Internet, students are able to maintain interpersonal relationships with
people that they would not have been able to talk to because of geographical distance, time
restraints, or the cost of lengthy phone calls. This is a very popular use of the internet. Pew
Internet (2002) found that eighty-four percent of respondents said they used email to stay in
touch with family. Studies were performed in which researches kept track of interpersonal
emails from college students. They concluded that 38.46% of students exchanged emails with at
least one long distance family member (Johnson, Haigh, Craig & Wigley, 2007). This type of
communication allows students to receive support from family members and friends who live far
away, and from the studies performed, it seems as though these students take advantage of this
low cost and convenient form of communication.
Research has found that computer-mediated communication affects relationship
development on six dimensions. These include; dominance, depth, affect, trust, formality and
task orientations (Cronin, Cai, 2008). This research has shown that relationship development is

8.
Penna,
8
possible through electronic communication. This is true among college students because they
are able to maintain their relationships with people who live far away, because of this type of
electronic communication. Three variables were manipulated in this study; the medium of
communication, level of power and the role of the people involved (Cronin, Cai, 2008). They
found that relationships could develop through e-mail; the characteristics of e-mail are different
when compared to face-to-face communication (Cronin, Cai, 2008). It is clear that e-mail is the
most popular form of communication among young adults who are away at college.
IV. Social Networking:
The Facebook Phenomenon on College Campuses
A social network on Facebook can be built through asking others to be their friend, which
is known as “friending.” This means you have to request another person’s acknowledgement.
This request can confirm or deny the request that you are friends before they accept you
(Pennington, 2008). This concept can be seen on the website, Facebook. This Social
Networking Site (SNS) began in 2004 at Harvard University. The exclusivity of this Harvard
only network is what originally attracted users to the site, and was later expanded to other
colleges. In order to log on, users were required to have a university email address. By 2006, it
was opened to high school students, and in 2007, it was open to the general public (Day, Urista
& Qingwen, 2008; Kirkpatrick, 2006). Facebook is especially popular among college students
because the site makes it extremely easy for them to share information with family and friends
all over the world. This was the goal of the website and is shown in the motto, “Facebook helps
you connect and share with the people in your life” (Facebook, 2010).

9.
Penna,
9
The uniqueness of SNS like Facebook is the ability that enables users to shape and make
social networks visible to others public (Day, Urista & Qingwen, 2008). According to Baron
and Davis (1995), ““the person follows his or her interests, choosing media content according to
his or her needs and synthesizes that content to satisfy those needs” (p. 219). In other words, the
selection and usage of media is a goal-directed, purposive and motivated action (Rosengren,
1974). This is why young adults respond so much to the site, because it is personal and they can
choose who they are friends with, and follow what they are interested in. This is also known as
the uses and gratification theory (Day, Urista & Qingwen, 2008). This is an example of how
media can be used along with interpersonal communication to fulfill an individual’s needs and
wants.
This is important on college campuses because it allows students to stay connected.
Student’s can be reminded of each other’s birthdays and other special events and important
notices. Students can post messages at any time and even have an email sent so that that person
knows to check their Facebook account for new messages. Facebook has revolutionized
communication on the Internet. It has made staying connected easier than ever before. Ben
Mezrich (2009) wrote in his novel about the founding of Facebook, “You didn’t just visit the site
once. You visited it everyday. You come back again and again, adding to your site, your
profile, changing your pictures, your interests, and most of all, updating your friends. It really
has moved a large portion of college life onto the Internet” (p. 111). This quote summarizes
what Facebook is all about and why students connect to it so much.
Most research and studies have concluded that Facebook has positive effects on
interpersonal relationships, particularly among college students. It helps maintain long distance
relationships, keeps students updated on the lives of others on campus and builds on-campus

10.
Penna,
10
face-to-face communication (Pennington, 2008). Studies show that one of the main reasons
college student’s use Facebook so often is because of its convenience (Pennington, 2008). You
can log on to the site anytime and leave messages or respond to comments whenever it is
convenient for you to do so.
A final and one of the most important observations of research on Facebook is that it
builds face-to-face relationships. This is because of the Uncertainty Reduction Theory. Research
has found that Facebook has positive effects on face-to-face communication. The Uncertainty
Reduction Theory says that when strangers meet, their main worry has to do with hesitation in
talking to people they do not know. Facebook can help by eliminating this uncertainty in
meeting new people, since you can find information and learn about there interests before you
meet in person (Pennington, 2008; Cummings, & Kraut, 2002). For example, students can learn
about their prospective college roommate before actually meeting them face to face.
Many students in a study agreed that using Facebook as an initial meeting reduces initial
insecurity by talking to and learning about others before you actually meet. (Cummings & Kraut,
2002). This procedure is very common among college roommates. Because of the convenience
and popularity of social networking, it is likely that roommates will both have a Facebook
profile. They can read about the other person’s likes and interests, look at pictures of each other
and talk through Facebook, before they actually meet at school. For many students, meeting
their college roommate is a very nerve racking time, and Facebook helps ease the tension
because they feel as though they know each other before moving in together. Facebook is proof
of the Uncertainty Reduction Theory and how it builds and enhances face to face relationships.

11.
Penna,
11
V. Findings & Conclusion:
The purpose of this literature review is to learn in detail what scholars have written about
on the topic, how college students develop relationships. They have found that this is done
primarily through face-to-face and nonverbal communication (Dohen, Schwartz &Bailly 2008;
Manusov, Docan, Harvey, 2008; Steinfield, 2009; Lampe, 2009). A consensus among research
about Face To Face (FTF) communication is that it is an essential part of relationship
development. Another component to relationship development is the idea of an emerging
adulthood, where college students are discovering their identity and have a wide range of friends
and acquaintances (Arnett, 2000; Steinfield, 2009; Lampe, 2009).
This is where electronic communication comes into play. Since students are away from
home, they need ways to keep in touch with family and friends. Studies have shown that this is
the primary electronic form that students use to continue communication with family members
because it is convenient and inexpensive (Bryant, Sanders & Smallwood, 2006). Studies in
literature about this topic have shown that although this is a popular communication method,
students still chose not to hold more in depth conversations through the internet (Grinter,
Elderidge, 2003; Lenheart, Madden & Hirlin, 2005). Besides email, text messaging is another
vey popular form of communication among students. However, research on this topic seems to
be lacking, and more studies should be done, because of how popular this form of
communication has become.
The third and most popular form of communication with college students is social
networking websites like Facebook. It is a new and unique way for college students to stay
connected. It was, after all originally designed specifically for college students (Pennington,
2008). The site allows users to create profiles, share photos and chat with friends. It allows

12.
Penna,
12
them to post their college experiences online (Mezrich, 2009). A commonality among research
is that the site does make relationships stronger, because of the easiness of communication.
What makes the site so popular has been described in the user gratification theory (Day, Urista &
Qingwen, 2008). Once connected to Facebook, users can control what content they come in
contact with and what to avoid. This makes Facebook a very personalized experience. Most
research on this topic has proven that social networking has positive effects on interpersonal
relationships. Studies have concluded that it increases communication in long distance
relationships and diminishes uncertainty when meeting new people (Pennington, 2008). Finally,
one of the most equally agreed upon components of Facebook is its convenience. Users can log
on to the site any time of day or night, and leave messages and share pictures with their friends.
They can update their information any time and can share experiences, pictures, and thoughts
with numerous friends and family members.
Communication has changed and evolved drastically over the years. No longer are faceto-face communication, letters, and telephone calls the only way to communicate to someone.
Today, with the use of electronic communication, students can share their news, their pictures
and thoughts with countless others at very little cost and at any time of the day or night. Students
are not limited by time restraints or geographic locations. Communicating in the 21st century
means there are more options available for staying in contact with others. This has resulted in a
change in relationships, especially when students go off to college.
Electronic communication and social networking has made keeping in touch easier and
more efficient than ever before. Surprisingly, as research has shown, these new methods of
communication have not diminished face-to-face communication. They have simply made the
connections between people stronger and much more readily available. This review has used

13.
Penna,
13
existing literature and research to confirm that electronic communication and social networking
affect relationships, and in most cases, positively. The main focus of this research was on college
students and the importance of staying connected with friends and family. This review is
significant because the research is so relevant to today’s youth culture, as new forms of
communication and technology are being developed everyday. This topic is very important to
the field of Communication Studies, because it is all about how we form and maintain
relationships. With the constant evolvement of technology, the way this is achieved constantly
changes.
Staying connected with friends and family has never been easier or more efficient,
because of all the remarkable advancements in electronic communication and social networking,
which have become a vital part of the college student’s life. It is important that this topic
continues to be studied and researched further because this field is constantly growing and
changing. The goal of this literature review is to show the evolvement of interpersonal
communication through these new forms of technology and contribute to validate the outcomes
of existing studies which show that these new forms of communication do, in fact, have positive
affects on interpersonal relationships among college students.

14.
Penna,
14
References
Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through
the twenties. American Psychologist, 55, 469-480.
Berger, C. R., & Calabrese, r. J. (1975). Some exploration in initial reaction and beyond:
Toward a developmental theory of interpersonal communication. Human Communication
Research 1, 99-112.
Bryant, Alison J., Ashley Saunders-Jackson, and Amber M. Smallwood. "IMing, Text
Messaging, and Adolescent Social Networks." Journal of Computer-Mediated
Communication 11.2. EBSCO. Web.
Burgoon, J. K., & Hale, J. L. (1994). Nonverbal signals in M. L. Knapp & G. R. Miller (Eds.),
Handbook of interpersonal communication 2nd ed. (pp. 229-285). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.
Cronin, Daniel, and Deborah Cai. "Computer Mediated Communication and Negotiation: Effects
of Meadia and Power on Relationship Development." National Communication
Association (2008). EBSCO. Web.
Cummings, J., & Kraut, R. (2002). Domesticating computers and the Internet. The Information
Society, 18, 221-231.
Docan-Morgan, T. (2008). Relational turning point events and their outcomes in college teacherstudent relationships from students’ perspectives. Unpublished doctoral dissertation.
Dohen, Marion, Jean-Luc Schwartz, and Gerard Bailly. "Speech and Face-to-Face
Communication-An Introduction." Speech Communication 52.6 (2010). EBSCO. Web.

15.
Penna,
15
Duke, Shearlean. "E-Mail: Essential in Media Relations, But No Replacement for Face-to-Face
Communication." Public Relations Quarterly 46.4 (2001). EBSCO. Web.
Farrugia, Rebekah, and Danielle Wiese. "Coordinating Communication on Facebook: An
Analysis of Meaning Development Through Close Relationships." National
Communication Association (2009). EBSCO. Web.
Guerrero, L. K., & Floyd. K. (2006). Nonverbal communication in close relationships. Mahwah,
NJ: Erlbaum.
Haspels, Melanie. "Will You Be My Facebook Friend?" National Communication Association
(2007). EBSCO. Web.
Johnson, Amy, Michael Haigh, Elizabeth Craig, and Shelley Wigley. "College Students’ Use of
Email to Maintain Long Distance and Geographically Close Interpersonal Relationships."
International Communication Association (2007). EBSCO. Web.
Mansuov, Valerie, Tony Docan-Morgan, and Jessica Harvey. "When a Small Thing Means so
Much: Nonverbal Cues as Turning Points in Relationships." National Communication
Association (2008). EBSCO. Web.
Mezrich, Ben. The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook : a Tale of Sex, Money,
Genius, and Betrayal. New York: Doubleday, 2009. Print.
Pennington, Natalie. "Will You Be My Friend: Facebook as a Model for the Evolution of the
Social Penetration Theory." National Communication Association (2008). EBSCO. Web.

16.
Penna,
16
Steinfield, Charles, and Cliff Lampe. "Connection Strategies: Relationship Formation and
Maintenance on Social Network Sites." International Communication Association
(2009). EBSCO. Web.