Measuring Relational Entropy: Relational Maintenance Behavior Mediates the Association between Religious Similarity and Entropy in Friendships

ABSTRACT Entropy is the natural tendency of systems to move from a state of order to disorder, and previous theorizing has argued that close relationships are subject to entropy over time. Building from qualitative work exploring the conceptual domain, this study developed a quantitative survey measure of the perception of relational entropy. Factor analysis revealed two entropy dimensions, decay and destruction, and comparison with related measures revealed these constructs are empirically distinct. The study further validated the measures by examining their associations with friend religious similarity and relational maintenance behaviors. Positivity and supportiveness mediated the association between religious similarity and decay entropy, whereas openness and interaction mediated the association between religious similarity and destruction entropy.