Tinder

Tinder Users Have Way Less Casual Sex Than You'd Think

Turns out, it's just as easy to get rejected on apps as it is in real life.

BY MELISSA MATTHEWS

GETTY IMAGES

• People on dating apps don't hook up more than other singles, according to a new study
• The study looked at 641 people ages 18-29 — almost half of whom used dating apps
• Women are more discerning dating app users, whereas men are more eager

Think Tinder is nothing but a cesspool of 2 a.m. booty calls? Well, it turns out users aren't actually having much sex, according to a new paper published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences.


Researchers at Norwegian University of Science and Technology wanted to determine how picture-based apps (like Tinder) are really used, so they surveyed adults between 18 and 29 years old. Using questionnaires on the sexual habits and app use of 641 college students, the team determined that users are interested in casual, sex-based relationships — but no one is actually hooking up.

App users are more likely to want casual sex — but they aren't more likely to get it

The participants who used dating apps were found to have high levels of "sociosexual orientation" — in other words, a greater interest in casual sex — than their non-app-using counterparts. However, online daters didn't have more sexual partners than people who were looking for casual relationships but didn't use apps.

Despite the apparent ease of finding a match using an app, it seems safe to assume that your chances of getting shot down are the same as if you met someone at a bar. Or as the press release put it:

"The apps have simply become a new way to meet up. People use dating apps instead of — or in addition to — finding a partner in town, at work, at a meeting, on a hike or when doing something else in their free time. But the end result is about the same."

Men on dating apps are more eager than women

The study also found that women spent more time on dating apps overall. Women are discerning and take time to study profiles, whereas guys are quick to swipe, according to the researchers. (Hey guys: to improve your chances of meeting up, consider putting effort into your profile.)

"Men more often start conversations and contact matches, and they're more willing to meet partners through dating apps in private settings," study author Mons Bendixen, an associate professor at NTNU's Department of Psychology, said in the release.


Sorry, guys, it looks Tinder doesn't ensure you'll get lucky Friday night. We guess it's not entirely surprising, given that public health experts believe there's too much hype about the supposed "hook-up culture" created by dating apps.

As Men'sHealth.com previously reported, Matthew Prior of the National Coalition of STD Directors said dating apps can't be blamed for people having more partners, or the rise in gonorrhea or syphilis in men. In fact, most experts "don’t think it’s a primary reason that STDs are spreading," he explained.

Whether you find your next hookup through Tinder or the real world, remember to play it safe. Check out our list of the 10 best condoms for you and your partner.