Sexting may not be as hot as you think. In fact, roughly half the time, your partner probably isn’t quite as into it as they say they are, according to a new study from Indiana University-Purdue University.
The study shows that 48 percent of people who’ve sent racy messages have lied to their partner while sexting. While two-thirds have done it to satisfy their partner, one-third of those have done it because they’re bored.
The study — which surveyed 155 college students — also found that women tend to lie almost twice as likely as men while sexting, with 45 percent of women and 24 percent of men faking their steamy SMS messages.
The study’s lead author, Michelle Drouin, said that she found these results unsurprising.
“Text messaging is an ideal platform for deception, and sexting is likely just one of the many ways that people use this medium to deceive,” she mentioned.
Drouin said that texting happens to change relationships. “The fabric of human life is changing rapidly, and the technological threads that are interwoven throughout are having a profound impact on the way we function, interact, and develop,” she said.
Some regard the findings as evidence that sexting is a negative habit among couples.
“Sexting is a way to avoid intimacy,” said Rob Weisskirch, a professor of human development at California State University Monterey Bay. “These findings reinforce that sexting isn’t a behaviour that people who want healthy relationships are going to engage in.”
However, studies have proven that those who participate in sexting are not always prone to riskier or safer behaviours. In fact, researchers at the University of Michigan found that sexting had no connection to psychological well-being.
Others, like Esther Perel, a therapist and author of Mating in Captivity, have said that sending illicit messages, including photos, can improve intimacy. This way, couples may be more comfortable expressing themselves in ways they normally wouldn’t offline, she said.
If you do engage in sexting, how has it changed you? 😉
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