Anxiously Searching for Love (Among Other Things): Attachment Orientation and Mobile Dating Application Users' Motives and Outcomes

This study explores how attachment orientation (i.e., people’s characteristic approach to close relationships) is associated with dating application (app) users’ motives and outcomes. We collected data from 395 current dating app users. Regression analyses showed that attachment anxiety positively predicted all dating app motives, whereas attachment avoidance positively predicted traveling, but negatively predicted pass time/ entertainment. Logistic regression analyses showed a decreased likelihood for people with higher scores on attachment anxiety to meet up with other dating app users. In a similar vein, a decreased likelihood to meet up with other dating app users while in a committed relationship was found for both individuals with higher scores on anxious attachment and avoidant attachment. Finally, higher scores on anxious attachment and avoidant attachment were significantly related to reporting a higher number of romantic relationships and friendships with other dating app users, whereas only higher scores on anxious attachment were related to reporting a higher number of casual sexual experiences while being single and while in a committed relationship.

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