Sexting is a common practice in intimate relationships; however, little research has investigated the role that sexting plays in adult relationships. The authors surveyed 356 individuals about their sexting behaviors and expectations and personality factors. Results indicated extroversion and openness are associated with greater arousal expectations for sending sexts and lower negative expectations for receiving sexts. Agreeableness is associated with lower negative expectations for sending sexts. Neuroticism is associated with lower arousal expectations and greater negative expectations for sending sexts. Individuals who are cohabitating sext more frequently than individuals who are dating, single, or married.
AnnisetteL. E.LafreniereK. D. (2017). Social media, texting, and personality: A test of the shallowing hypothesis. Personality and Individual Differences, 115, 154–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.02.043
2.
BradfordK.HuffakerS.StewartJ. W.SkograndL.HigginbothamB. J. (2014). Successes and challenges in a statewide relationship education initiative. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 42(3), 252–266. https://doi.org/10.1111/fcsr.12059
3.
BurénJ.LundeC. (2018). Sexting among adolescents: A nuanced and gendered online challenge for young people. Computers in Human Behavior, 85, 210–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.02.003
4.
CampbellK.SilvaL. C.WrightD. W. (2011). Rituals in unmarried couple relationships: An exploratory study. Family & Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 40(1), 45–57. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1552-3934.2011.02087.x
5.
CohenJ. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
CrimminsD. M.Seigfried-SpellarK. C. (2014). Peer attachment, sexual experiences, and risky online behaviors as predictors of sexting behaviors among undergraduate students. Computers in Human Behavior, 32, 268–275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.12.012
8.
CrimminsD. M.Seigfried-SpellarK. C. (2017). Adults who sext: Exploring differences in self-esteem, moral foundations, and personality. International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 11(2), 169–182. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1037379
9.
CurrinJ. M.HubachR. D. (2017). Sexting behaviors exhibited by men who have sex with men between the ages of 18–70 who live in a socially conservative state. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 20(7), 413–418. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2017.0050
10.
DeleviR.WeisskirchR. S. (2013). Personality factors as predictors of sexting. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(6), 2589–2594. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.06.003
DirA. L.CoskunpinarA.CydersM. A. (2011). Sexting, alcohol, and impulsivity[Paper presentation]. Meeting of RSA, Atlanta, GA.
13.
DirA. L.CoskunpinarA.SteinerJ. L.CydersM. A. (2013). Understanding differences in sexting behaviors across gender, relationship status, and sexual identity, and the role of expectancies in sexting. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 16(8), 568–574. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2012.0545
14.
DöringN. (2014). Consensual sexting among adolescents: Risk prevention through abstinence education or safer sexting. Cyberpsychology, 8, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.5817/CP2014-1-9
15.
DrouinM.RossJ.TobinE. (2015) Sexting: A new, digital vehicle for intimate partner aggression?Computers in Human Behavior, 50. 197–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.04.001
16.
DrouinM.LandgraffC. (2012). Texting, sexting, and attachment in college students’ romantic relationships. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(2), 444–449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2011.10.015
GalovanA. M.DrouinM.McDanielB. T. (2018). Sexting profiles in the United States and Canada: Implications for individual and relationship well-being. Computers in Human Behavior, 79, 19–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.10.017
19.
Gámez-GuadixM.de SantistebanP. (2018). “Sex pics?” Longitudinal predictors of sexting among adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 63(5), 608–614. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.05.032
20.
Gámez-GuadixM.de SantistebanP.ResettS. (2017). Sexting among Spanish adolescents: Prevalence and personality profiles. Psicothema, 29(1), 29–34. https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2016.222
HairJ. F.JrBlackW. C.BabinB. J.AnersonR. E. (2009). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.). Ht Media.
24.
HertleinK. M.AnchetaK. (2014). Advantages and disadvantages of technology in relationships: Findings from an open-ended survey. The Qualitative Report, 19, 1–11. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol19/iss11/2
25.
JeanfreauM. M.WrightL. E.NoguchiK. (2019). Marital satisfaction and sexting behavior among individuals in relationships. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 27, 17–21. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480718819868
26.
JenningsL. W.YoungD. M. (1988). Forecasting methods for institutional research. In YanceyB. (Ed.), New directions for institutional research: Applying statistics in institutional research (pp. 77–96). Jossey-Bass.
27.
JinB.ParkN. (2010). In-person contact begets calling and texting: Interpersonal motives for cell phone use, face-to-face interaction, and loneliness. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 13, 611–618. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2009.0314
28.
JohnO. P.NaumannL. P.SotoC. J. (2008). Paradigm shift to the integrative Big Five trait taxonomy: History, measurement, and conceptual issues. In JohnO. P.RobinsR. W.PervinL. A. (Eds.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research (pp. 114–158). Guilford Press.
29.
JohnO. P.DonahueE. M.KentleR. L. (1991). The Big Five Inventory—Versions 4a and 54. Institute of Personality and Social Research.
30.
KlettkeB.HallfordD. J.MellorD. J. (2014). Sexting prevalence and correlates: A systematic literature review. Clinical Psychology Review, 34(1), 44–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2013.10.007
31.
Kruenegel-FarrD.McEnturffA.AckerJ.JacobsonA.KildareC.HawkinsA.J. (2013). Perceived relationship improvement from premarital and relationship education. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 42(2), 98–109. https://doi.org/10.1111/fcsr.12045
32.
LaheyB. B. (2009). Public health significance of neuroticism. American Psychologist, 64(4), 241–256. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015309
33.
LarsenR. J.KetelaarT. (1991). Personality and susceptibility to positive and negative emotional states. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61(1), 132–140. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.61.1.132
34.
LincolnK. D. (2008). Personality, negative interactions, and mental health. The Social Service Review, 82, 223–251. https://doi.org/10.1086/589462
35.
LippmanJ. R.CampbellS. W. (2014). Damned if you do, damned if you don’t…if you’re a girl: Relational and normative contexts of adolescent sexting in the United States. Journal of Children and Media, 8(4), 371–386. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2014.923009
36.
MardiaK. V. (1985). Mardia’s test of multinormality. In KotzS.JohnsonN. L. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of statistical sciences (Vol. 5, pp. 217–221). Wiley.
37.
McCraeR. R.CostaP. T. (2003). Personality in adulthood: A five-factor theory perspective. Guilford Press.
38.
McCraeR. R.CostaP. T. (1991). The NEO Personality Inventory: Using the Five-Factor Model in counseling. Journal of Counseling & Development, 69(4), 367–372. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556.6676.1991.tb01524.x
39.
McDanielB. T.DrouinM. (2015). Sexting among married couples: Who is doing it, and are they more satisfied?Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 18(11), 628–634. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2015.0334
OlatundeO.BalogunF. (2017). Sexting: Prevalence, predictors, and associated sexual risk behaviors among postsecondary school young people in Ibadan, Nigeria. Frontiers in Public Health, 5, 96. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2017.00096
42.
ParkerT. S.BlackburnK. M.PerryM. S.HawksJ. M. (2013). Sexting as an intervention: Relationship satisfaction and motivation considerations. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 41(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926187/2011.635134
43.
RossJ. M.DrouinM.CoupeA. (2019). Sexting coercion as a component of intimate partner polyvictimization. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 34(11), 2269–2291. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260516660300
44.
SherryA.HensonR. K. (2005). Conducting and interpreting canonical correlation analysis in personality research: A user-friendly primer. Journal of Personality Assessment, 84(1), 37–48. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa8401_09
45.
SpringstonK. M. (2017). Gender differences in participation in and motivations for sexting: The effects of gender role attitudes, masculinity, and femininity. Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research, 3, 142–157. http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/bjur/vol3/iss1/9
46.
StanleyN.BarterC.WoodM.AghtaieN.LarkinsC.LanauA.ÖverleinC. (2018). Pornography, sexual coercion and abuse and sexting in young people’s intimate relationships: A European study. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 33(19). 2919–2944. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260516633204
47.
Van OuytselJ.WalraveM.PonnetK. (2019). Sexting within adolescents’ romantic relationships: How is it related to perceptions of love and verbal conflict?Computers in Human Behavior, 97, 216–221. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2014.923009
