Contents
- Effects of having a romantic relationship while studying
Kinds of Love
Love is a deep sense of acceptance and commitment to some person, object or activity. There are different kinds of love including parental, love between friends, love of a child for his or her parents, patriotism or love of one’s homeland and romantic love. Once puberty has set in, the adolescent is surprised by moods and vague organic sensation that he or she is drawn towards the other sex. (Aquino and Miranda, 1991).
Effects of romantic relationship on academic performance in college
College life can be stressful, but it is surely one of the most memorable experiences in a person’s life. College students possess characteristics that change as they progress in their years at a University. Discovering emotions, feelings, independence, and achievement are part of a college student’s transition and exploration in establishing identity and developing characteristics. Romantic relationships are important stepping stones in the developing stage of a young person’s life. Depending on the maturity of the people in the relationship, it can be either a bad or good experience.
But either way you are always learning and growing as a person. Today we can observe that many students are entering this so called romantic relationship. On the one hand, the student is spending time with their potential lifelong partner, but on the other, they are busy trying to fulfill other responsibilities, like maintaining grades, studying, and coping with everyday stress. However, the extent of student’s learning in academics may be determined by the grades a student earns for a period of learning has been done.
Factors that affect students grades
It is believed that a grade is a primary indicator of such learning. If a learner earns high grades it is concluded that they may also have learned a lot while low grades indicate lesser learning. However, many experiences and studies found out that there are also several factors that would account for the grades. No single factor can be definitely pointed out as predicting grades. It has been interplay of so many factors – gender, IQ, study habits, age, year level, parent’s educational attainment, social status, number of siblings, birth order, etc.
Effects of having a romantic relationship while studying
In fact, almost all of existing environmental and personal factors are a variable of academic performance. However, at this point in time, the researchers would like to investigate the possible relationship between: romantic relationship and study habits; and romantic relationship and academic performance. Theoretical Background Romantic is being defined as displaying or expressing love or strong affection. On the other hand, relationship is defined as a state of being related.
Therefore, romantic relationship is the state of being related of two persons who displays love or strong emotion (The New Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language). Thus, this study was anchored on the concept of Helen Fisher (2004), an anthropologist in her book, “ Why we Love” which uses brain scans to show that love is the product of a chemical reaction in the brain. Norepinephrine and dopamine, among other chemicals, are responsible for excitement and bliss in humans as well as non-human animals.
Fisher concludes that these reactions have a genetic basis, and therefore love is a natural drive as powerful as hunger. This is clearly understood that an individual seeks for a companion or partner. In connection with the previous theory, according to the triangular theory of love developed by Robert Sternberg (1986), the idea of this theory is that love can consist of one component alone or any combination of the three parts: intimacy, passion, and commitment. It explains the topic of love in an interpersonal relationship.
Sternberg presented different types of love; under it is romantic love which is related to the topic of interest. Romantic love as being defined by Sternberg, it derives from a combination of the intimate and passionate components of love romantic lovers are not only drawn physically to each other but are also bonded emotionally – bonded both intimately and passionately, but without sustaining commitment. During the initial stages of a romantic relationship, there is more often emphasis on emotions especially those of love, intimacy, compassion, appreciation, and affinity—rather than physical intimacy.
Within an established relationship, romantic love can be defined as a freeing or optimizing of intimacy in a particularly luxurious manner or perhaps in greater spirituality, irony, or peril to the relationship. Romantic relationships become increasingly significant in the lives of young people as they move from early to late adolescence. Although dating has not yet begun, in early adolescence (ages 10-14) most youth are very preoccupied with romantic issues.
Youth at this age spend significant amounts of time in mixed-gender groups that intensify their romantic interest and may eventually lead to romantic relationships (Connolly, Craig, Goldberg, & Pepler, 2004). Romantic relationships are central to social life during middle to late adolescence (ages 15-19). Many youth in middle to late adolescence report spending more time with their romantic partner than with friends and family (Furman & Schaffer, 2003). In the study conducted by Quatman, Sampson, Robinson and Watson (2001) among high school students in California.
Researchers examined the relationship between dating status and academic achievement, academic motivation, depression, and self-esteem. Although high school students do not face as many distractions, the affiliation can still be made between the two. Results showed a relationship between dating more frequently and lower academic performance. Other research where Sgobbo (2000) studied the disadvantages and advantages of dating in college. It was found that one hundred percent of the fifty male participants surveyed agreed that dating in college provides benefits.
This study was supported by Zimmer-Gimmbeck, Siebenbruner, and Collins (2001) found that participation in dating relationships has some positive effects on emotional health for adolescents. But from that, also brings another hassle- maintaining the relationship. Being involved in romantic relationships may increase personal acceptance and enhance self-beliefs (Forbes, Jobe, & Richardson, 2006; Lin & Kulik, 2002; Long, 1983)In relation to the study given above it is clear that students faced different distractions while studying.
While involved in a romantic relationship it can either be a good or a bad influence. However, according to Berger (1997), a romantic relationship may ease environmental stress. This motivates the researchers to study this problem to supplement and give other break of results that could help the teachers in guiding their students as their surrogate parents and to the students to be aware if involving in a romantic relationship would affect their study habits and academic performance.
