Study identifies two psychological factors that predict digital dating abuse

A new study published in Evolutionary Psychology has found that people who experience strong competition with same-sex romantic rivals are more likely to engage in digital dating abuse. The study also revealed that personality traits play a role, with low levels of agreeableness associated with a greater likelihood of engaging in digital dating abuse. These findings build on previous research by replicating the link between intrasexual competition and digital dating abuse while also introducing the role of personality traits into the conversation.

Digital dating abuse refers to the use of technology to control, monitor, or manipulate a romantic partner. This can include behaviors like checking a partner’s online activity without permission, restricting their social interactions, or impersonating them on social media. Researchers have previously examined digital dating abuse through an evolutionary perspective, arguing that such behaviors may be used to deter romantic rivals and maintain control over a partner.

Since individuals with high intrasexual competitiveness—meaning they feel a strong rivalry with same-sex individuals who may compete for their partner’s attention—tend to engage in behaviors aimed at protecting their relationships, researchers hypothesized that this trait would be linked to digital dating abuse. However, little research had been done on how broader personality traits, such as agreeableness or neuroticism, might influence these behaviors.

“Digital dating abuse is an emerging form of intimate partner violence that has been understudied compared to offline forms of abuse,” said study author Manpal Singh Bhogal, a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Wolverhampton.

“Previous research suggested that factors like jealousy and mate retention strategies contribute to digital dating abuse, but little was known about the role of personality traits and intrasexual competition. By exploring these variables, we aimed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of why individuals engage in digital dating abuse and how personality traits may mitigate or exacerbate this behaviour.”

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To explore these questions, researchers recruited 280 participants, including 44 men and 236 women, with an average age of 23.6. All participants were in a romantic relationship at the time of the study. The researchers collected data through an online survey that included several psychological scales.

Participants completed the Intrasexual Rivalry Scale, which measures how competitive they feel toward same-sex individuals in the context of romantic relationships. They also filled out the Digital Dating Abuse Scale, which asks about specific behaviors such as checking a partner’s private information without permission or pretending to be them online. Additionally, participants completed the Big Five Personality Inventory, a well-established measure of five major personality traits: agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and openness.

The results showed that agreeableness was a strong negative predictor of digital dating abuse. In other words, people who scored high in agreeableness—who tend to be warm, cooperative, and considerate—were less likely to engage in digital dating abuse. While other personality traits, such as neuroticism and conscientiousness, showed small correlations with digital dating abuse, agreeableness was the only trait that emerged as a significant predictor in the statistical model.

“One of the more surprising findings was that, while various Big Five traits correlated with digital dating abuse, only agreeableness emerged as a significant predictor in our regression model,” Bhogal told PsyPost. “We expected neuroticism or conscientiousness to play a larger role, given their links to relationship aggression in previous studies. However, this suggests that traits linked to interpersonal warmth and cooperation may be particularly relevant in explaining abusive online behaviors.”

People who reported higher levels of intrasexual competitiveness were also significantly more likely to engage in digital dating abuse. This finding supports previous research suggesting that individuals who are highly competitive with same-sex rivals may use online monitoring and control tactics as a way to deter romantic competition and maintain their relationships.

“Our findings suggest that intrasexual competition—rivalry with same-sex individuals for romantic partners—plays a role in digital dating abuse perpetration,” Bhogal explained. “Those high in intrasexual competition were more likely to engage in digital dating abuse, possibly as a way to monitor and control their partners. Additionally, personality matters: people with higher levels of agreeableness were less likely to engage in digital dating abuse. This highlights that both individual psychological factors and broader social motivations contribute to this form of relationship behavior.”

The researchers also examined gender differences but found no significant effects, which aligns with previous research suggesting that men and women engage in digital dating abuse at similar rates.

Although these findings add to the understanding of digital dating abuse, the study has some limitations. “First, our study was cross-sectional, meaning we cannot determine causality—whether intrasexual competition leads to digital dating abuse or vice versa,” Bhogal noted. “Second, our sample was mostly female, which may limit generalizability across genders. Future research should explore these dynamics in more diverse samples and through longitudinal designs.”

“I aim to further investigate the psychological mechanisms behind digital dating abuse, particularly the interplay between personality, relationship dynamics, and individual differences. Future studies could explore interventions that reduce harmful behaviours in relationships and examine how digital dating abuse manifests across different cultural and age groups. Additionally, understanding how victims and perpetrators perceive these behaviours could inform better educational and policy approaches to address online relationship abuse.

“Raising awareness about digital dating abuse is crucial, especially as online interactions become increasingly integrated into romantic relationships,” Bhogal added. “Many discussions around intimate partner violence focus on offline behaviours, but digital forms of abuse can be just as harmful. Our research highlights the need for educational programs that address these behaviours and promote healthier online relationship dynamics.”

The study, “The Role of Intrasexual Competition and the Big 5 in the Perpetration of Digital Dating Abuse,” was authored by Manpal Singh Bhogal and Morgan Taylor.