© Media Watch 12 (1) 109-126, 2021
ISSN 0976-0911 | E-ISSN 2249-8818
DOI: 10.15655/mw/2021/v12i1/205462
A Narrative Review of Motivations for Dating App Use
and Associated Sexual Behaviors: Recommendations
to Promote Safe Sex among Indian Dating App Users
Prathyasha George1, Mahati Chittem2, Helena Lewis-Smith3, & Tracy Epton4
1,2Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, India
3University of the West of England, in Bristol, United Kingdom
4University of Manchester, United Kingdom
Abstract
India is witnessing a rapid increase in the use of dating apps such as Tinder, which provide heterosexual individuals with access to many potential sexual partners, thereby increasing their propensity to engage in risky sexual behaviours. Adopting a psychological perspective, this narrative review begins by drawing on existing literature on motivations and sexual behaviours relating to dating app use. Following this, the self-affirmation theory is posited to understand risky sexual behaviours within the context of dating app use. Finally, this review suggests promoting safe sex behaviours for Indian dating app users, self-affirmation interventions to promote body positivity and condom use, and disseminating health-promoting safe sex messages within the dating app.
Keywords: Condom use, dating applications, health psychology, India, self-affirmation, sexual behaviours
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Prathyasha George is a Doctoral Candidate in Psychology at the Department of Liberal Arts, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, India. Her research interests include understanding safe sex practices, socio-cultural aspects of dating, and dating app use.
Mahati Chittem is an Associate Professor of Health and Medical Psychology in the Department of Liberal Arts at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, India. Her research interests lie in chronic disease management (doctor-patient-family communication, end-of-life decision-making, adherence to doctor’s recommendations) and cultural contexts of health behaviours (primarily diet, exercise, and sex).
Helena Lewis-Smith is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Appearance Research within the University of the West of England, in Bristol, United Kingdom. Her research interests include body image, disordered eating, and society’s influence on mental health more broadly.
Tracy Epton is a Lecturer in Health Psychology at the University of Manchester, in the United Kingdom. Her research interests are in understanding behaviour change and in developing and evaluating behaviour change interventions.
Correspondence to: Prathyasha George, Department of Liberal Arts, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy, Telangana-502 285, India