Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Examining the Impact of Geosocial Networking on the Sex Behaviors of Men Who Have Sex with Men

  • Published:
Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Men who have sex with men (MSM) often use smartphone geosocial networking applications (GSN apps) to meet sex partners. Relative to non-GSN app users, MSM GSN app users have more sex partners. Research also reveals sexual-risk taking is associated with alcohol consumption and sexual sensation seeking (SSS) in MSM. We examined if GSN app use moderated relationships between SSS and risky sexual behaviors, as well as relationships between alcohol use and risky sexual behaviors. Participants were 423 MSM who completed survey measures concerning demographics, app use, alcohol consumption, SSS, and risky sexual behavior recruited via various social networking websites (e.g., Reddit, Facebook). Data revealed that app use predicted recent numbers of male sex partners, and SSS predicted recent and lifetime male sex partners and receptive unprotected anal intercourse (UAI). GSN app use did not moderate relationships between SSS and risky sexual behaviors or between alcohol use and risky sexual behaviors. Although app use did not serve as a moderator, relationships between app use and number of sex partners and SSS and UAI suggest future work should consider how sexual health programming might be incorporated into GSN apps.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. The above moderation analyses treated app use as a dichotomous variable (yes vs no). Additional analyses were performed in order to examine whether app use frequency (number of times men logged on to apps during a typical week) served as a moderator of the variables of interest. Similar to the prior analyses, results revealed no significant interactions. App use frequency did not moderate relationships between SSS and all sexual-risk outcomes or between alcohol use and all sexual-risk outcomes.

References

  • Berkowitz, A. D. (2004). The social norms approach: theory, research, and annotated bibliography. posted on theHEC social norms website https://www.edc.org/hec/socialnorms

  • Bien, C. H., Best, J. M., Muessig, K. E., Wei, C., Han, L., & Tucker, J. D. (2015). Gay apps for seeking sex partners in China: Implications for MSM sexual health. AIDS and Behavior, 19(6), 941–946.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bourne, C., Knight, V., Guy, R., Wand, H., Lu, H., & McNulty, A. (2011). Short message service reminder intervention doubles sexually transmitted infection/HIV re-testing rates among men who have sex with men. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 87(3), 229–231.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). HIV among gay and bisexual men. Retrieved November 15, 2016. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/group/msm/

  • Celentano, D. D., Valleroy, L. A., Sifakis, F., MacKellar, D. A., Hylton, J., Thiede, H., McFarland, W., Shehan, D. A., Stoyanoff, S. R., LaLota, M., Koblin, B. A., Katz, M. H., & Torian, L. V. (2006). Associations between substance use and sexual risk among very young men who have sex with men. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 33(4), 265–271.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Collins, R. L., Parks, G. A., & Marlatt, G. A. (1985). Social determinants of alcohol consumption: the effects of social interaction and model status on the self-administration of alcohol. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53(2), 189–200.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, M. L. (2002). Alcohol use and risky sexual behavior among college students and youth: evaluating the evidence. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, supplement, 14, 101–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crawford, I., Hammack, P. L., McKirnan, D. J., Ostrow, D., Zamboni, B. D., Robinson, B., & Hope, B. (2003). Sexual sensation seeking, reduced concern about HIV and sexual risk behaviour among gay men in primary relationships. AIDS Care, 15(4), 513–524.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • DiClemente, R., Milhausen, R. R., Salazar, L. F., Spitalnick, J., McDermott Sales, J., Crosby, R. A., Younge, S. N., & Wingood, G. M. (2010). Development of the sexual sensation-seeking scale for African American adolescent women. International Journal of Sexual Health, 22(4), 248–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Buchner, A., & Lang, A. G. (2009). Statistical power analyses using G*power 3.1: tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behavior Research Methods, 41(4), 1149–1160.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Field, M., Wiers, R. W., Christiansen, P., Fillmore, M. T., & Verster, J. C. (2010). Acute alcohol effects on inhibitory control and implicit cognition: implications for loss of control over drinking. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 34(8), 1346–1352.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finlayson, T. J., Le, B., Smith, A., Bowles, K., Cribbin, M., Miles, I., Oster, A. M., Martin, T., Edwards, A., & DiNenno, E. (2011). HIV risk, prevention, and testing behaviors among men who have sex with men—National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System, 21 US cities, United States, 2008. MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 60(14), 1–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, J. C., Cook, P. A., & Kapiga, S. H. (2010). Alcohol use before sex and HIV risk: situational characteristics of protected and unprotected encounters among high-risk African women. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 37(9), 571–578.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gaither, G. A., & Sellbom, M. (2003). The sexual sensation seeking scale: reliability and validity within a heterosexual college student sample. Journal of Personality Assessment, 81(2), 157–167.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hagman, B. T., Clifford, P. R., & Noel, N. E. (2007). Social norms theory-based interventions: testing the feasibility of a purported mechanism of action. Journal of American College Health, 56(3), 293–298.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heath, J., Lanoye, A., & Maisto, S. A. (2012). The role of alcohol and substance use in risky sexual behavior among older men who have sex with men: a review and critique of the current literature. AIDS and Behavior, 16(3), 578–589.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Heidinger, B., Gorgens, K., & Morgenstern, J. (2015). The effects of sexual sensation seeking and alcohol use on risky sexual behavior among men who have sex with men. AIDS and Behavior, 19(3), 431–439.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hingson, R. W., Strunin, L., Berlin, B. M., & Heeren, T. (1990). Beliefs about AIDS, use of alcohol and drugs, and unprotected sex among Massachusetts adolescents. American Journal of Public Health, 80(3), 295–299.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Halloway, I. W., Rice, E., Gibbs, J., Winetrobe, H., Dunlap, S., & Rhoades, H. (2014). Acceptability of smartphone application-based HIV prevention among young men who have Sex with men. AIDS and Behavior, 18(2), 285-296.

  • Holloway, I. W., Pulsipher, C. A., Gibbs, J., Barman-Adhikari, A., & Rice, E. (2015). Network influences on the sexual risk behaviors of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men using geosocial networking applications. AIDS and Behavior, 19(2), 112–122.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Irwin, T. W., Morgenstern, J., Parsons, J. T., Wainberg, M., & Labouvie, E. (2006). Alcohol and sexual HIV risk behavior among problem drinking men who have sex with men: an event level analysis of timeline followback data. AIDS and Behavior, 10(3), 299–307.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kalichman, S. C. (2010). Sexual sensation seeking scale. In T. D. Fisher, C. M. Davis, W. L. Yarber, & S. L. Davis (Eds.), Handbook of sexuality-related measures (pp. 564–565). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalichman, S. C., Johnson, J. R., Adair, V., Rompa, D., Multhauf, K., & Kelly, J. A. (1994). Sexual sensation seeking: scale development and predicting AIDS-risk behavior among homosexually active men. Journal of Personality Assessment, 62, 385–397.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kalichman, S. C., & Rompa, D. (1995). Sexual sensation seeking and sexual compulsivity scales: validity, and predicting HIV risk behavior. Journal of Personality Assessment, 65(3), 586–601.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kivlahan, D. R., Marlatt, G. A., Fromme, K., Coppel, D. B., & Williams, E. (1990). Secondary prevention with college drinkers: evaluation of an alcohol skills training program. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58(6), 805–810.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koblin, B. A., Chesney, M. A., Husnik, M. J., Bozeman, S., Celum, C. L., Buchbinder, S., Mayer, K., McKirnan, D., Judson, F. N., Huang, Y., & Coates, T. J. (2003). High-risk behaviors among men who have sex with men in 6 US cities: baseline data from the EXPLORE Study. American Journal of Public Health, 93(6), 926–932.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Koblin, B. A., Husnik, M. J., Colfax, G., Huang, Y., Madison, M., Mayer, K., Barresi, P. J., Coates, T. J., Chesney, M. A., & Buchbinder, S. (2006). Risk factors for HIV infection among men who have sex with men. Aids, 20(5), 731–739.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Landovitz, R. J., Tseng, C. H., Weissman, M., Haymer, M., Mendenhall, B., Rogers, K., Veniegas, R., Gorbach, P. M., Reback, C. J., & Shoptaw, S. (2013). Epidemiology, sexual risk behavior, and HIV prevention practices of men who have sex with men using GRINDR in Los Angeles, California. Journal of Urban Health, 90(4), 729–739.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lehmiller, J. J., & Ioerger, M. (2014). Social networking smartphone applications and sexual health outcomes among men who have sex with men. PLoS One, 9(1), 1–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, M. A., & Neighbors, C. (2004). Gender-specific misperceptions of college student drinking norms. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18(4), 334–339.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Matarelli, S. A. (2013). Sexual sensation seeking and internet sex-seeking of Middle Eastern men who have sex with men. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 42(7), 1285–1297.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muessig, K. E., Pike, E. C., LeGrand, S., & Hightow-Weidman, L. B. (2013). Mobile phone applications for the care and prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases: a review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 15(1), e1.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, J. G., McDevitt-Murphy, M. E., & Barnett, N. P. (2005). Drink and be merry? Gender, life satisfaction, and alcohol consumption among college students. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 19(2), 184–191.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mustanski, B. (2008). Moderating effects of age on the alcohol and sexual risk taking association: an online daily diary study of men who have sex with men. AIDS and Behavior, 12(1), 118–126.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Norris, J., Nurius, P. S., & Dimeff, L. A. (1996). Through her eyes factors affecting women’s perception of and resistance to acquaintance sexual aggression threat. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 20(1), 123–145.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips G., Magnus, M., Kuo, I., Rawls, A., Peterson, J., Jia, Y., Opoku, J., & Greenberg, A. E. (2014). Use of geosocial networking (GSN) mobile phone applications to find men for sex by men who have sex with men (MSM) in Washington, DC. AIDS and Behavior, 18(9), 1630–1637.

  • Phillips, G., Grov, C., & Mustanski, B. (2015). Engagement in group sex among geosocial networking mobile application-using men who have sex with men. Sexual Health, 12(6), 495–500.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Purcell, D. W., Parsons, J. T., Halkitis, P. N., Mizuno, Y., & Woods, W. J. (2001). Substance use and sexual transmission risk behavior of HIV-positive men who have sex with men. Journal of Substance Abuse, 13(1), 185–200.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rice, E., Holloway, I., Winetrobe, H., Rhoades, H., Barman-Adhikari, A., Gibbs, J., Carranza, A., Dent, D., & Dunlap, S. (2012). Sex risk among young men who have sex with men who use Grindr, a smartphone geosocial networking application. Journal of AIDS & Clinical Research, S4, 005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spitalnick, J. S., DiClemente, R. J., Wingood, G. M., Crosby, R. A., Milhausen, R. R., Sales, J. M., McCarty, F., Rose, E., & Younge, S. N. (2007). Brief report: Sexual sensation seeking and its relationship to risky sexual behaviour among African-American adolescent females. Journal of Adolescence, 30(1), 165–173.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sun, C. J., Stowers, J., Miller, C., Bachmann, L. H., & Rhodes, S. D. (2015). Acceptability and feasibility of using established geosocial and sexual networking mobile applications to promote HIV and STD testing among men who have sex with men. AIDS and Behavior, 19(3), 543–552.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Tang, W., Tang, S., Qin, Y., Zhang, Y., Zhang, W., Liu, C., Tso, L. S., Wei, C., Yang, L., Huang, S., Yang, B., & Tucker, J. (2016). Will gay sex–seeking mobile phone applications facilitate group sex? A cross-sectional online survey among men who have sex with men in China. PLoS One, 11(11), e0167238.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Vanable, P. A., McKirnan, D. J., Buchbinder, S. P., Bartholow, B. N., Douglas Jr., J. M., Judson, F. N., & MacQueen, K. M. (2004). Alcohol use and high-risk sexual behavior among men who have sex with men: the effects of consumption level and partner type. Health Psychology, 23(5), 525–532.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Viosin, D. R., Tan, K., & DiClemente, R. J. (2013). A longitudinal examination of the relationship between sexual sensation seeking and STI-related risk factors among African American females. AIDS Education and Prevention, 25(2), 124–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Voisin, D. R., King, K., Schneider, J., DiClemente, R. J., & Tan, K. (2012). Sexual sensation seeking, drug use and risky sex among detained youth. Journal of AIDS & Clinical Research.

  • Weiss, R., & Samenow, C. P. (2010). Smartphones, social networking, sexting and problematic sexual behaviors—a call for research. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 17, 241–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winetrobe, H., Rice, E., Bauermeister, J., Petering, R., & Holloway, I. W. (2014). Associations of unprotected anal intercourse with Grindr-met partners among Grindr-using young men who have sex with men in Los Angeles. AIDS Care, 26(10), 1303–1308.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Woody, G. E., Donnell, D., Seage, G. R., Metzger, D., Marmor, M., Koblin, B. A., Buchbinder, S., Gross, M., Stone, B., & Judson, F. N. (1999). Non-injection substance use correlates with risky sex among men having sex with men: data from HIVNET. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 53(3), 197–205.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, Z., Zhang, S., Dong, Z., Jin, M., & Han, J. (2014). Prevalence of unprotected anal intercourse in men who have sex with men recruited online versus offline: a meta-analysis. BMC Public Health, 14(1), 508.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, 38655, USA

    Curtis N. Hooks, Elicia C. Lair & Alan M. Gross

Authors
  1. Curtis N. Hooks
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Elicia C. Lair
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alan M. Gross
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alan M. Gross.

Ethics declarations

The study was approved by the University of Mississippi Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Additional information

This manuscript is based on the first author’s Masters thesis conducted under the supervision of the second and third authors.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hooks, C.N., Lair, E.C. & Gross, A.M. Examining the Impact of Geosocial Networking on the Sex Behaviors of Men Who Have Sex with Men. J. technol. behav. sci. 4, 178–185 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-018-0065-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-018-0065-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation