Double-Dipping Interpretation on Relationship Closeness

“Can double-dipping for high school students and undergraduates in Pierce County determine the “closeness” of a relationship (family, romantic connections, work relationships, and friendship)?”

Researcher

Joy Oluwaleye

Class of 2023

Significance and Value of Study

The value of the project is to gather a deeper and new understanding of the topic by inviting a new method of research that can be used to determine the closeness of a relationship. Past experiences regarding everyday activity have been used to design a scale for measuring closeness, but with study, it aims to combine relationship closeness and double-dipping, an action perceived by some as repulsive or unconcerned.

Problem Statement

There is a problem with the approaches that have been taken to determine the “closeness” in different relationships. Despite the fact that Rubin, Snyder, Aron, Starzyk, Gächter, and other researchers have developed their own individual methods to combat this concept, the repetitiveness of the way these methods are administered continues to occur. This problem has negatively impacted the perspectives and outcomes of results reached by these methods through repetitive experimentation. A possible cause of this problem is the lack of research in broadening attempts for different methods regarding actions done or thoughts perceived to figure out the closeness in relationships. Perhaps a unique study that investigates how a more diverse subject, such as double-dipping, could possibly relate to the closeness in relationships can result in a correlation between the 2 subjects through a non-experimental correlational survey

Hypothesis

If a survey is administered to examine how one would respond to double-dipping in different groups of relationships, I expect that through this method, a relationship can be found through double-dipping and relationship closeness and that double-dipping can be used to determine the closeness of relationships.

Definitions and Variables

Variables Being Tested:

The tendency of double-dipping

Types of relationships

Proposed Method of Study

Non-Experimental Correlational Survey

Related Definitions

Double-Dipping: dipping (an item of food) into a container of sauce being shared between 2 people and taking a bite, then repeating the action in the same spot where the bite was taken with the same food item

Closeness: (referred to “close relationship” or “closest to…” in the survey) - the degree to which the relationship or connection between two people

Provides both members a sense of security that their health is protected and bettered by their partner’s responsiveness
Provides both members a sense that they will continue to be responsive to their partners

Family Relationships: Where two people are related by ties of marriage, blood, or adoption. Can include divorced family members that still connect on friendly terms

Friendships: A voluntary and platonic relationship between two people where all parties involved are concerned and committed to each other's interests, passions, and possible concerns. *For this study, family connections will not be considered for this group

Work Relationships: Interactions between two employees; interactions between supervisor and subordinate.

Romantic Relationships: Reciprocated and ongoing romantic interactions between two voluntary people that display actions of fondness and affection.

Results/Findings

Implications/Limitations

In the very beginning of this topic, I wanted to perform an experiment where participants would arrive at a location with a pair so that I could observe whether they would double dip or not given a food item and a dipping sauce. But there were a couple problems with that. First, risk management. I wasn’t able to give food to minors and considering that my cohort included them, that wasn’t possible. Now I could’ve just focused on undergraduates, but even then if I wanted to focus on them, to get a sponsor for the materials had a very small chance of occuring. Since, if anything went wrong such as cross contamination or sickness, the sponsor would be liable for all damages. Also considering I had to tell the participants what I wanted to observe and why, the results that I would’ve received might’ve not been accurate. Double-dipping is not exactly put in the positive light, so if I had told the participants that I would observe if they double-dipped, they might have not done it due to circumstances. With all those limitations, an experimental study wasn’t feasible.

Conclusion

My hypothesis stated that double-dipping can be used to determine the closeness of relationships Throughout this project, I concluded that with the data received, although not with an accurate representation of my population, but on a basis to start with, double-dipping can determine relationship closeness. My hypothesis was therefore confirmed. With this project, I was able to expand on the scholarly conversation that was based on understanding how strong and close relationships are.

Important Sources

Berscheid, E., Snyder, M., & Omoto, A. M. (1989). The Relationship Closeness Inventory: Assessing the Closeness of Interpersonal Relationships.
Cherry, K. (2022). Rubin’s Scales of Liking and Loving. Verywell Mind.
Gächter, S., Starmer, C., & Tufano, F. (2015). Measuring the Closeness of Relationships: A Comprehensive Evaluation of the “Inclusion of the Other in the Self” Scale.
Pitt, L. (2014). Personal acquaintance measure: distinguishing among friends and good and bad customers.

Next Steps

Different Cohort
Bigger Sample Size
Focus on Intensity of Closeness in Relationship

Initial Assumptions

As for assumptions, the main one I made was that there was a possibility of double-dipping occurring in each individual relationship category.

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