PDA in real life is bad enough already, and now we've got to deal with a new kind - the kind that's on social media. But according to one study, this might actually save your relationship. The study says it can have a positive effect on committed relationships.

The theory is called "public commitment." According to Dr. Catalina L. Toma and her colleague Mina Choi, they investigated the link between the number of PDA on Facebook and how long a relationship would last.

They found that couples who engaged in them were less likely to break up after six months.

The study says:

"Results show that the more participants posted photographs with their partners, wrote on the partner's wall, and listed themselves as 'in a relationship,' the more committed they felt towards their partner and the less likely they were to break up after six months. In other words, Facebook PDA had a positive influence on the relationship."

It's good for the couples, but is it good for other people seeing this on their newsfeed?

Probably not.