Sexual Interaction in Digital Contexts and Its Implications for Sexual Health: A Conceptual Analysis

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.769732

. 2021 Nov 30:12:769732.

doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.769732. eCollection 2021.

Sexual Interaction in Digital Contexts and Its Implications for Sexual Health: A Conceptual Analysis

Nicola Döring¹, Nicole Krämer², Veronika Mikhailova¹, Matthias Brand³, Tillmann H C Krüger⁴, Gerhard Vowe⁵

Affiliations

¹ Media Psychology and Media Design, Institute of Media and Communication Science, Department of Economic Sciences and Media, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Ilmenau, Germany.
² Social Psychology: Media and Communication, Department of Computer Science and Applied Cognitive Science, Faculty of Engineering, University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany.
³ General Psychology: Cognition and Center for Behavioral Addiction Research (CeBAR), Department of Computer Science and Applied Cognitive Science, Faculty of Engineering, University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Section of Clinical Psychology and Sexual Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
⁵ Communication and Media Studies, Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS), Bochum, Germany.

PMID: 34916999
PMCID: PMC8669394
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.769732

Sexual Interaction in Digital Contexts and Its Implications for Sexual Health: A Conceptual Analysis

Nicola Döring et al. Front Psychol. 2021.

. 2021 Nov 30:12:769732.

doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.769732. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Nicola Döring¹, Nicole Krämer², Veronika Mikhailova¹, Matthias Brand³, Tillmann H C Krüger⁴, Gerhard Vowe⁵

Affiliations

¹ Media Psychology and Media Design, Institute of Media and Communication Science, Department of Economic Sciences and Media, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Ilmenau, Germany.
² Social Psychology: Media and Communication, Department of Computer Science and Applied Cognitive Science, Faculty of Engineering, University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany.
³ General Psychology: Cognition and Center for Behavioral Addiction Research (CeBAR), Department of Computer Science and Applied Cognitive Science, Faculty of Engineering, University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Section of Clinical Psychology and Sexual Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
⁵ Communication and Media Studies, Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS), Bochum, Germany.

PMID: 34916999
PMCID: PMC8669394
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.769732

Erratum in

Corrigendum: Sexual Interaction in Digital Contexts and Its Implications for Sexual Health: A Conceptual Analysis.
Döring N, Krämer N, Mikhailova V, Brand M, Krüger THC, Vowe G. Döring N, et al. Front Psychol. 2022 Feb 9;13:847814. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.847814. eCollection 2022. Front Psychol. 2022. PMID: 35222221 Free PMC article.

Abstract

Based on its prevalence, there is an urgent need to better understand the mechanisms, opportunities and risks of sexual interaction in digital contexts (SIDC) that are related with sexual arousal. While there is a growing body of literature on SIDC, there is also a lack of conceptual clarity and classification. Therefore, based on a conceptual analysis, we propose to distinguish between sexual interaction (1) through, (2) via, and (3) with digital technologies. (1) Sexual interactions through digital technologies are face-to-face sexual interactions that (a) have been started digitally (e.g., people initiating face-to-face sexual encounters through adult dating apps) or (b) are accompanied by digital technology (e.g., couples augmenting their face-to-face sexual encounters through filming themselves during the act and publishing the amateur pornography online). (2) Sexual interactions via digital technology are technology-mediated interpersonal sexual interactions (e.g., via text chat: cybersex; via smartphone: sexting; via webcam: webcam sex/camming). (3) Sexual interactions with digital technology occur when the technology itself has the role of an interaction partner (e.g., sexual interaction with a sex robot or with a media persona in pornography). The three types of SIDC and their respective subtypes are explained and backed up with empirical studies that are grouped according to two major mediators: consent and commerce. Regarding the causes and consequences of the three types of SIDC we suggest a classification that entails biological, psychological, social, economic, and technological factors. Regarding implications of SIDC we suggest to focus on both opportunities and risks for sexual health. The proposed conceptual framework of SIDC is meant to inform future research.

Keywords: commercial sex; cybersex; internet sexuality; online sexual activities (OSA); pornography; sex robots; sexting; sexual consent.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

**FIGURE 1**
Conceptual model of sexual interaction in digital contexts (SIDC).

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[1] ABC News In-depth (2020). “Tinder: Investigation Reveals the Dark Side of the Dating App | Four Corners.” YouTube video, 43:15. Available online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFFTMfp5iQo (accessed October 12, 2020)

[2] ABC News In-depth (2020). “Tinder: Investigation Reveals the Dark Side of the Dating App | Four Corners.” YouTube video, 43:15. Available online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFFTMfp5iQo (accessed October 12, 2020)

[3] Açar K. V. (2017). Webcam child prostitution: an exploration of current and futuristic methods of detection. Int. J. Cyber Criminol. 11 98–109. 10.5281/zenodo.495775 - DOI

[4] Açar K. V. (2017). Webcam child prostitution: an exploration of current and futuristic methods of detection. Int. J. Cyber Criminol. 11 98–109. 10.5281/zenodo.495775 - DOI

[5] Anzani A., Di Sarno M., Prunas A. (2018). Using smartphone apps to find sexual partners: a review of the literature. Sexologies 27 e61–e65. 10.1016/j.sexol.2018.05.001 - DOI

[6] Anzani A., Di Sarno M., Prunas A. (2018). Using smartphone apps to find sexual partners: a review of the literature. Sexologies 27 e61–e65. 10.1016/j.sexol.2018.05.001 - DOI

[7] Aoki B. Y., Kimura T. (2021). Sexuality and affection in the time of technological innovation: artificial partners in the Japanese context. Religions 12:296. 10.3390/rel12050296 - DOI

[8] Aoki B. Y., Kimura T. (2021). Sexuality and affection in the time of technological innovation: artificial partners in the Japanese context. Religions 12:296. 10.3390/rel12050296 - DOI

[9] Appel M., Marker C., Mara M. (2019). Otakuism and the appeal of sex robots. Front. Psychol. 10:569. 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00569 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[10] Appel M., Marker C., Mara M. (2019). Otakuism and the appeal of sex robots. Front. Psychol. 10:569. 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00569 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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Sexual Interaction in Digital Contexts and Its Implications for Sexual Health: A Conceptual Analysis

Affiliations

Sexual Interaction in Digital Contexts and Its Implications for Sexual Health: A Conceptual Analysis

Authors

Affiliations

Erratum in

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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