Philippine E-Journals

Are young adults sensual in mobile dating apps? Constructed sexual scripts among Filipino youth

Jonalou SJ Labor

 

Abstract:

Studies on mobile dating apps tend to concentrate on the nature of presentations, relationships among motivations and sexual behaviors, and the positive and negative effects of technology-human engagements. This study contributes to the literature by describing the discursive nature of sexual communication during mobile dating engagements. Using the insights of fifty Filipino mobile dating app users and through inductive thematic analysis, the research showed sexual scripts that are enacted during mobile dating engagement. Results of the study suggest that despite the technologically guided dating process in mobile applications, users’ agency prevails as they can create contextual sexual scripts and enact appropriate dating discourses that emanate from their co-constructed dating experiences with other users. The study implies that some young adults have used mobile dating platforms not only to seek relationships but also to find sexual pleasure.