A Focus Group Study Exploring Perceptions of Online Hookup App Use Among Heterosexual Women

Abstract

Online dating platforms have become a more common way for adults in the United States (U.S.) to find both romantic partners as well as sex partners. While certain hookup apps, such as Grindr, market towards men who have sex with men (MSM), other platforms, like Tinder, tend to attract people who identify as heterosexual. Eighteen self-identified heterosexual college women participated in one of four focus groups between April and October 2019. Focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed by the research team and themes were analyzed after all focus groups were complete. Four salient themes emerged which included concerns about meeting in person for the first time, apps making it easier to find partners, apps promoting hookup culture, and differences in perception depending on which gender you identify as. There are perceived advantages to using apps to find a partner but also hesitation. Future research should focus on the extent to which heterosexual women are using hookup apps to find sex partners and how these apps affect the sexual health and mental wellbeing of self-identified heterosexual women.