Relational Distancing and Termination between Online Friends: An Application of the Investment Model.

This research examined the relational maintenance versus termination of online friendships in Facebook. Guided by Rusbult's [33] investment model (IM), the study constructed a model to examine 55 matched pairs of Facebook friends consisting of one \"primary user\" and one \"annoyer.\" Results indicated that primary users' judgments of relational satisfaction with annoyers were influenced by annoyers' narcissistic personality and their overall propensity for posting overly self-focused content. Commitment affected primary users' use of both passive \"unfollowing\" and active \"unfriending\" in response to annoyers' behavior. Decisions to maintain or terminate online friendships are related to judgments and actions of both partners. Overall, these results emphasize the dyadic nature of relational maintenance and termination processes in online environments, and the importance of studying them as such.