What Romantic Partners Do to Monitor Old Flames Via Social Media

If you're like most of us, you're probably using Facebook right now to stalk your old girlfriend. As social media spreads it's content further across the worldwide web, it's become even more common to privately monitor what your ex friends, lovers, workers, bowling buddies, hair dressers, costume designers and puppeteers are doing with their lives via the online world.

According to a recent study regarding the online world and anonymity, it's very common for people to use online activity to monitor what their previous partners are doing via photos, audio and video clips.

The study looks into the inner workings of what activities may cause certain levels of relationship anxiety, attachment style, the role of sex and other things that can create a preoccupation for some individuals out of fear and worry.

"Prior to social networking tools, it was more difficult to monitor a former partner's life," said Brenda K. Wiederhold, PhD, MBA, BCIA, Editor-in-Chief ofCyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, from the Interactive Media Institute, San Diego, CA, via a press release. "While social networking provides many positives, the ability to conduct interpersonal electronic surveillance may lead some individuals to suffer with prolonged feelings of uncertainty after a relationship ends. These results presented here should, however, be interpreted with caution, since the sample was comprised of heterosexual college students and may not extend to other groups."

What do you think? Have you been online looking for information regarding an old flame? Tell us in the comments below.

More information regarding the study can be found via the website Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.