Sexting is always not linked to sex, a new research says.
Peoples’ reasons for sending these messages vary and could have nothing to do with trying to have sex. The study found that two-thirds of people didn’t sext with sex as their end goal.
The study, presented at the annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, covered 160 people, including 85 women, between the ages of 18 and 69 and asked them their personal motivations for sexting.
The researchers found that sexters could be grouped into three categories: people who sexted for fun that also often resulted in sex (58 people), people who sexted to feel more attached to their partner (54 people), and people who sexted in order to get positive body-image reinforcement or another non-sex reward(48 people).
About two-thirds of these people, those in the latter two categories, didn’t sext with sex as their end goal, the researchers found.
People sext to get what they want, but that’s not always sex.
Scientists say their results indicate that people are using sexting as a tool for communicating non-sexual relationship needs rather than a means for getting sex. In most cases, this included needing more attention, reassurance of their connection or body-positive comments.
