methods

Bradi Petersen
McKenzie Sanders Beus
Rachael Anderson
Kenneth Jeppesen
Methods
The hypothesis will be tested by taking a convenient sample of married people ages 18-70. 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 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 survey implies consent. The questionnaire will be derived from questions from the back of Chapman’s book The Five Love Languages and also from the Seven-Item Short Form of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale to measure marital satisfaction among the participants. Chapman’s questions will be directed to determine one’s primary or preferred love language. A Likert Scale will be used in accordance with Chapman’s questions to measure more in depth of the love language of each individual (Glicken 2002).
To increase validity marital 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 the questions concerning love languages might affect the participant’s view of the relationship. By using the scales and Chapman’s questions the correlation between love languages and marital satisfaction will be discovered.
Following the Dyadic Adjustment Scale will be a series of questions. Each question will consist of three components. The first component will be made up of two choices between love language characteristics (i.e. a. I love when my husband sends me flowers b. I love receiving hugs and kisses). There will be a series of letters that will each correspond with Chapman’s five love languages (a. gift giving, b. physical touch, etc…). It will be determined what the participants primary love language is based on the frequency of the corresponding letter. The second component will consist of the Likert Scale used to determine the frequency of the preferred love characteristic. The third component will also consist of a Likert Scale to measure how much love is felt when the preferred characteristic is displayed. By using a three part question there will be a more detailed and 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 each individual’s 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.