Sexual Experiences and Attachment Styles in Online and Offline Dating Contexts

Abstract

Objective: Nearly 50% of adults under age 29 report using some form of online dating to find sexual partners or romantic relationships. Limited evidence suggests online and offline dating behaviors and experiences can vary. We aimed to expand understanding these differences by examining how attachment styles are associated with online and offline search for partners and emotional responses to sexual experiences. Methods: In a sample of single adults (N = 247; M_age= 27.34), we examine how attachment styles relate to individual differences in how people search for partners and respond to sexual experiences with partners met online and offline. Results: Individuals high in attachment anxiety reported higher use of online dating apps and more negative experiences (e.g., lower satisfaction, more guilt) following their most recent sexual encounters with partners met online and offline and reported feeling more used after engaging in sexual activity specifically with partners met offline. Individuals high in avoidance also reported more negative experiences following their most recent sexual encounters but only with partners met offline. Conclusions: This study moves our understanding by highlighting nuances in how attachment insecurity is associated with differences in online dating app use and emotions following sexual experiences when meeting partners online and offline.

Keywords:

• Attachment
• sexual behaviors
• romantic relationships
• online dating
• emotion
• satisfaction

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Notes

1 Analyses were run with and without participants who identified as bisexual (n = 8). All bisexual participants indicated they were looking for cross-sex relationships in their online dating profile. There were no significant differences between the results of these analyses, so results are presented for analyses that include bisexual participants.

2 Given that sex differences are common, we ran exploratory moderation analyses with Sex × Attachment Style interactions entered in a third regression step. These revealed no significant interactions between sex and attachment style dimensions for feelings of safety, respect, satisfaction, guilt, satisfied, or used, but they were also generally underpowered.

Additional information

Funding

Preparation of this manuscript was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number F32HD102119 to J. Stern. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. This study was reviewed and approved by The University of the South Internal Review Board and all participants provided consent.