Motolani Fayemi | 2026 I.S. Symposium
Name: Motolani Fayemi
Title: The Influence of Communication Modality on Sibling Relationship Quality in Young Adults
Major: Psychology
Advisor: Michael Casey
This study aims to explore sibling relationships and communications methods to peer relationships in college during the transition to young adulthood. During these periods of technology and digital ways of communication, this research studies how the methods we use to communicate with our siblings while away from them have an impact on quality of these family relationships. Additionally, it tests if the strength of the sibling relationship successively influences an individual’s ability to form secure attachments with peers and direct social situations in college. I hypothesize that a more diverse means and frequency of communication will be a significant predictor of higher sibling warmth. Furthermore, a stronger sibling relationship is expected to predict more secure peer attachments and greater confidence in social interactions in college. The findings aim to clarify how sibling relationships, maintained through modern technology means of communication, provide a foundational support system that raises social skills and friendships in young adulthood. The results showed a significant positive correlation between sibling communication methods and peer attachment quality, indicating that more frequent and diverse communication with siblings predicts stronger friendships in college. However, contrary to hypotheses, greater sibling communication was significantly negatively correlated with sibling relationship quality. Gender differences were discovered, with males reporting higher overall sibling relationship quality while females reported higher peer attachment quality. These findings suggest that while sibling communication may support peer relationship development, the association between communication frequency and sibling warmth is more complex than I thought, possibly reflecting the involuntary nature of family bonds compared to voluntary peer relationships.
Posted in Symposium 2026 on May 1, 2026.
