ABSTRACT
With the proliferation of mobile phone ownership, there has been an increase in studies attempting to assess the impact of the technology on wellbeing. One specific area of interest is the influence that these devices may have on romantic relationships. This chapter seeks to extend scholarship concerned with the ways in which cell phones have become decisive in organizing our social relationships. It focuses on Jamaica as a case study of how the ubiquitous use of cellular phone technology has influenced the nation’s relationship structures. The chapter outlines the key specificities of Jamaica’s already markedly fluid coupling norms. It utilizes the examples from popular dancehall songs to argue that cell phone usage plays an increasingly important role in romantic relationships, allowing Jamaicans to replicate existing cultural patterns of engaging in and maintaining romantic relationships. Dancehall is an indigenous Jamaican popular musical genre.
