methods changed again.

Bradi Peterson
McKenzie Sanders Beus
Rachael Anderson
Kenneth Jeppesen
Methods
The hypothesis will be tested by taking a convenient sample of married people ages 18-20. It is anticipated that questionnaires will be collected from Weber State University in the student service center and various departments across campus. The professors will be approached prior to class time to discuss permission for using the students as part of the sample for the questionnaire. Questionnaires will also be posted online to be widely available for others from places of business, religion and by word of mouth for all who wish to participate.
In the introduction of the questionnaire the researchers, the reason for the research, instructions, and the assurance of confidentiality will be stated. Participants will be informed that by completing the questionnaire implies consent. The questionnaire will be derived from questions compiled by Brent G. Goff, H. Wallace Goddard, Lucille Pointer and Brian Jackson and were used in their study “Measures of Expressions of Love.” These questions hone in on Chapman’s five love languages. The questionnaire will also contain the Seven-Item Short Form of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, which will measure marital satisfaction among the participants. Goff’s questions will be directed to determine if one has a preferred love language, and what that love language is. A Likert Scale will also be used in accordance with Goff’s questions to measure more in depth the love language of each individual (Glicken 2002).
To increase validity martial satisfaction will be measured at the beginning of the questionnaire using the Seven-Item Short Form of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. This scale is valid based on the Chronbach Alpha score of .82 (Hunsley 2001). If marital satisfaction were to be measured at the end of the questionnaire then questions concerning love languages might affect the participant’s view of the relationship. By using the scales and Goff’s questions the correlation between love languages and marital satisfaction will be discovered.
Following the Dyadic Adjustment Scale will be a list of love expressions created by Goff. The participants will be asked to rate each expression of love from 1 to 100 based on how important it is to them. 1 being extremely low and 100 being as important as it could possibly be. Other components will be added to Goff’s list to give more depth on each answer. Each love expression will consist of two components. The first component will be Goff’s expressions, such as “Spending time with each other.” This will be rated. Based on the ratings it will be determined what the participant’s primary love language is, or if he or she has many. The second component will consist of the Likert Scale used to determine the frequency of the preferred love characteristic. For example “Spending time with each other” is rated an 88, then the participant will be asked based on a Likert Scale to determine the frequency of that expression of love that is being expressed. By using a two part question there will be more detail and an in depth view of love languages and the affect on the individual.
By using this particular method of research it is anticipated to better understand the influence in using primary love languages in marital relationships. The questionnaire was designed to determine if an individual has a primary love language, how often the spouse communicates the primary love language to him or her, and how much love is felt when the preferred love language is communicated effectively. It will also be understood if correct love language communication correlates with happiness and fulfillment within a marriage.