Hookup apps linked to risky sexual behavior, boredom plays a role for women

College students who use dating apps like Tinder to find casual encounters are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors, according to new research published in Computers in Human Behavior. The study also revealed that while a desire for excitement drives both men and women to these apps, boredom appears to be a key motivator specifically for women seeking connections on hookup platforms. These findings highlight a potential link between smartphone leisure activities and increased sexual risk-taking among young adults.

Apps like Tinder and Bumble have become commonplace tools for college students looking for various types of connections, including casual sexual partners. While previous studies had touched on this link, they often relied on very simple measures of risky sexual behavior, such as asking students to list the number of sexual partners they’ve had. The scientists behind this new study wanted to gain a more thorough understanding by using more detailed and comprehensive ways to assess risky sexual behavior among college students who use these apps.

“My colleague, Jacob Barkley, and I have been studying the relationship between smartphone use and a range of human behaviors and behavioral outcomes for over a decade. For example, across many separate studies we have shown smartphone use is significantly and positively related to sedentary behavior and anxiety and significantly and negatively related to physical fitness, academic performance, and subjective well-being,” said study author Andrew Lepp, a professor at Kent State University.

“Another thing we consistently find is that no matter the population, people report using their smartphones for leisure purposes more than for work or educational purposes. Related to this, we found in multiple studies that a primary motivation for smartphone use is to eliminate boredom during free time and that people who use their smartphone more experience more boredom. Yet in an experimental lab study we found that smartphone use actually causes boredom (while people use their smartphone to eliminate boredom, it actually causes boredom).”

“So, this study is just an extension of all that previous research,” Lepp continued. “Because most of us are so connected to our device, there are always new questions to ask about smartphone use and human behavior. For this study, we were curious to know if people who play with smartphone ‘hookup apps’ (Tinder being the most popular) were more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior compared to those who do not use such apps, we also were curious to understand if boredom played a role in hookup app use, since boredom is so often a motivator for smartphone use more generally.”

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“Surprisingly, there is not much research exploring hookup app use and risky sexual behavior that uses valid, accurate and reliable measures of risky sexual behavior. Probably because such data are so sensitive that they are hard to collect. But we were able to gain university approval for collecting sensitive data in a way that assured complete anonymity and respondents trusted the process.”

To conduct their study, the researchers recruited a random sample of 410 undergraduate students from a large university in the Midwestern United States. Out of the participants, 244 were women, and 173 reported using hookup apps. The students were approached at various locations across the university campus known for high student traffic. To ensure a random selection, the research assistant invited every fifth student passing by to participate in the study. Only students aged 18 or older and registered at the university were included.

Those who agreed to participate were given a paper-based survey to complete. The survey was designed to be short, taking about ten minutes or less to finish. Because the survey asked about sensitive topics like sexual behavior, the researchers took extra steps to protect the students’ privacy. Before starting the survey, each participant read and signed a consent form. After completing the survey, students personally placed it into a locked box, similar to a ballot box used in elections. Participants were assured that the research assistant collecting the surveys could not access them, and only the lead researcher, who was not present during data collection, had the key to the box. This procedure was implemented to guarantee the anonymity of all responses.

The survey included several questionnaires designed to measure different aspects of the students’ experiences and behaviors. To measure leisure boredom, the researchers used a six-item scale. This scale included statements like “For me, free time just drags on and on,” and students indicated how much they agreed or disagreed with each statement on a seven-point scale. Sensation seeking, or the desire for thrilling and new experiences, was assessed using a twelve-item questionnaire. This questionnaire presented pairs of statements, and students chose the statement that best described them. For example, one item presented the choice between “A sensible person avoids activities that are dangerous” and “I sometimes like to do things that are a little frightening.”

To assess risky sexual behavior, the researchers utilized the Sexual Risk Survey, a tool specifically developed for use with college students. This survey provided detailed instructions and asked students to report on their behaviors over the past six months. Risky sexual behavior was measured with eight questions, including “How many times have you had sex with someone you don’t know well or just met?” The survey also measured ‘intent to engage in risky sexual behavior’ with two questions, such as “How many times have you gone out to bars/parties/social events with the intent of ‘hooking up’ and having sex with someone?”

Impulsive sexual behavior, meaning unplanned or unexpected sexual encounters, was measured with five questions like “How many times have you had an unanticipated or unexpected sexual experience?” For these questions, students provided numerical answers, which were later categorized by the researchers into a standardized scoring system to allow for statistical analysis. Finally, the survey asked students if they had used any hookup apps in the past six months, and if so, to list the apps they had used.

The study’s findings confirmed that hookup app use is linked to risky sexual behavior. Students who used hookup apps reported engaging in more risky sexual behaviors and more impulsive sexual behaviors compared to students who did not use these apps. This finding aligns with previous research suggesting a connection between hookup app use and increased sexual risk taking.

“College students who have used Tinder and similar hookup apps in the past six months have engaged in significantly more risky sexual behavior during that same time period than college students who have not used Tinder and similar hookup apps in the past six months,” Lepp told PsyPost.

Interestingly, the researchers found that gender did not change this relationship. Both male and female hookup app users showed similar levels of risky sexual behavior, suggesting that regardless of gender, using these apps is associated with greater sexual risk.

“A lot of existing research explores motivations for hookup app use,” Lepp said. “Results of that research kind of fall into stereotypical gendered categories. For example: females use hookup apps to find romance and long term partners, males use hookup apps intending to find immediate casual sex. This might suggest that male hookup app users were more likely than female app users to engage in risky sexual behavior. We were able to look closely at this idea and found that it is not true.”

The study also shed light on the factors that might lead students to use hookup apps. Leisure boredom was found to be a significant predictor of hookup app use for women, but not for men. This suggests that women who experience more boredom in their free time may be more likely to turn to hookup apps, potentially as a way to alleviate this boredom.

On the other hand, sensation seeking was a significant predictor of hookup app use for both men and women. Students who are higher in sensation seeking, meaning they enjoy excitement and new experiences, were more likely to use hookup apps. Furthermore, for women only, sensation seeking was also directly linked to risky sexual behavior and impulsive sexual behavior, even independent of hookup app use. This means that women who are high sensation seekers may be more inclined to engage in risky sexual behaviors regardless of whether they use hookup apps, but this was not the case for men in this study.

“Male and female hookup app users likely download and begin exploring the app for slightly different reasons,” Lepp told PsyPost. “In our study, boredom was positively related to app use for females only, while sensation seeking predicted app use for both males and females. Other studies suggest females use such apps to find romance and males use them to find casual sex. Regardless of initial motivations or triggers, once males and females begin using hookup apps the chances of engaging in risky sexual behavior are similar, and significantly greater than non app users.”

The researchers acknowledged several limitations to their study. The sample was drawn from a single university in the Midwest, which may not fully represent all college students across the United States. For instance, students at private universities, especially those with religious affiliations, might have different experiences and behaviors related to hookup app use.

The researchers also noted that their model focused on boredom and sensation seeking, but other factors could also play a role in hookup app use and risky sexual behavior. Future studies could expand the model to include other potential predictors such as substance use, personality traits, and mental health factors to provide a more complete picture.

“Almost every adult has a smartphone within arm’s reach at all times, and everyone seems to be constantly on the device,” Lepp said. “So it is worth examining and reflecting upon how this device might be shaping our behavior for better or for worse. This is what our research intends to do.”

The study, “Smartphone hookup app use (e.g. Tinder) and college student’s risky sexual behavior: A model including leisure boredom, sensation seeking, and the moderating role of gender,” was authored by Andrew Lepp, Brian Yim, and Jacob E. Barkley.