The Ol' Ball and Chain: Negative Effect of Intimate Long Distance Relationships on New Tie Formation in Personal Networks

Using data on the cell phone and email behaviors of 196 college freshman attending U.S. university, I examine the effect that the presence of an intimate long distance relationship has on the formation of ties during the first weeks of school. This data indicates that individuals who maintained a relationship with a 'significant other' averaged fewer ties than those who did not have a significant other upon arrival at the university. I theorize that the development of new relationships is limited by the presence of these relationships due to the time and energy required to maintain them.