Relationships Over Time Study
A study sponsored by the National Science Foundation to better understand how people’s
romantic relationships grow and change over time.
A multi-phase study of relationships over time
Pre-screening:
(Pre-screening phase is not compensated)
review the eligibility criteria below
discuss the study with your romantic partner!
one partner completes the online eligibility survey below
eligible couples will meet with a research assistant over Zoom (on camera) to get started
Wave I:
both romantic partners individually complete an online survey about themselves and their relationship
Wave II:
both partners individually complete brief weekly online surveys about their relationship for up to 6 months
Wave III:
(Many participants will not enter this phase)
if a breakup occurs during the study, both members of the former couple complete a survey about the breakup experience and then complete brief online surveys for 28 days
Are you eligible to participate?
You are eligible to participate if you and your romantic partner:
are both willing to participate in this study over time
are at least 18 years of age
are currently in a monogamous romantic relationship (only with each other)
have been dating for less than 12 months
do not live together
are not engaged or married
do not have children together
can read and understand English
have reliable access to a computer or smartphone that can access the internet every evening
There are no other restrictions for participation eligibility. We welcome participants of all backgrounds, gender identification, and sexual orientation.
Interested in participating in this study?
Complete the eligibility survey to get started
FAQs
How long is this study?
Each wave of the study takes a different amount of time, ranging from 5 minutes for weekly surveys in Wave II, 15 minutes for daily surveys in Wave III, and one hour for the main surveys in Wave I and III.
Most couples will participate for 6 months, with the option of continuing an additional 3 months. Couples who experience a breakup will move into Wave III and finish the study after that.
What if I want to participate, but my partner isn’t sure?
Unfortunately, we do need both of you to fully commit to the study. We encourage you to discuss study participation prior to completing the eligibility survey, and only sign on if you are both interested in participating.
what if I meet some, but not all, of the eligibility criteria?
Unfortunately, we have strict requirements for eligibility and you can only participate if you and your partner satisfy all criteria. This is important for maintaining consistency in our sample of participants, which will be important for understanding to whom our scientific discoveries apply.
will participating in this study be good for my relationship?
It is always possible that thinking deeply about yourself and your relationship experiences will affect your relationship. However, this study will not intentionally prompt you to do anything to improve or hurt your relationship. You will not receive any instructions/suggestions on what to do in your relationships. Our goal is simply to gather information about people’s real-world relationship experiences.
is this a paid study?
Yes. You and your partner will be paid separately in gift cards through Rewards Genius.
Different parts of this study earn different amounts of compensation, and bonuses are available for consistent responding to surveys over time. More information about the different parts of the study and the compensation amounts and schedule can be found here.
will my partner know what i say on my surveys?
No. Your privacy and confidentiality are very important to us. We will never share your identifiable information with your romantic partner. Additionally, we encourage you not to ask each other directly about your responses. This will ensure that you feel comfortable speaking honestly about yourself and your relationship.