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This study seeks to examine a relationship ignored by most communication researchers: the long-distance friendship. In this study, geographically close friends reported more maintenance behaviors than long-distance friends. However, no significant differences were found concerning how satisfied or close they perceive their friendship to be or whether they expected their friendship to continue. Differences in the maintenance behaviors reported for each type of friend suggest that some maintenance behaviors may be more important than others for maintaining a close, satisfactory friendship. Implications for current conceptualizations of relational maintenance are discussed.
KEY CONCEPTS friendship, maintenance, long-distance relationships, relational closeness
With the greater number of communication channels available to individuals every day, the impact of geographic distance is growing smaller, allow ink us to form and maintain relationships with individuals who live too far away for us to interact face-to-face with them frequently (Blieszner & Adams, 1992; Wood, 1995). However, little is known about how individuals maintain such relationships over distance (Rohlfing, 1995) even though these relationships are common: Rohlfing found that 90% of individuals she surveyed reported having at least one close long-distance friend. Long-distance friendships have been ignored by communication researchers, but they should be examined because of their implications for traditional views of relational maintenance (Guldner & Swensen, 1995; Rohlfing, 1995). Previous research has focused on the quantity of maintenance behaviors and has suggested that more maintenance behaviors lead to better relationships. For example, Canary and Stafford (1994) claim that "relational properties erode without the benefit of maintenance behaviors" (p. 5). Such a view of maintenance disadvantages the long-distance relationship. How do individuals seek to maintain relationships differently when the relationships are long-distance versus geographically close? What do such possible differences illustrate about the current methods of conceptualizing relational maintenance?
By definition, an increase in distance decreases the opportunity for face-to-face contact between individuals. Davis (1973) claims that face-to-face contact is the easiest method for exchanging rewards in a relationship. An increase in distance between friends should constrain the frequency and type of maintenance behaviors that friends can utilize. Costs are increased (such as long-distance bills and expenses for visits, Rohlfing, 1995) and certain rewards become more difficult to exchange. Some researchers have even cast doubt concerning whether relationships can survive an...