Macdowall, Wendy G;
Reid, David S;
Lewis, Ruth;
Bosó Pérez, Raquel;
Mitchell, Kirstin R;
Maxwell, Karen J;
Smith, Clarissa;
... Natsal-4 Team, .; + view all
(2023)
Sexting among British adults: a qualitative analysis of sexting as emotion work governed by ‘feeling rules’.
Culture, Health & Sexuality
, 25
(5)
pp. 617-632.
10.1080/13691058.2022.2080866.
Preview |
Text
Macdowall_Sexting among British adults_a qualitative anysis of sexting as emotion work governed by feeling rules_2022.pdf - Accepted Version Download (166kB) | Preview |
Abstract
Sexting has generated considerable public and professional interest with concerns centring on young people, and potential harms to mental and sexual health. Little research thus far has explored the practice among adults and none has focused on the cultural norms relating to the emotional experience of sexting across different ages and genders. We conducted 40 semi-structured interviews with a diverse sample of adults aged 18-59 years in Britain on the role of digital technologies in participants' sexual lives. In this paper, we draw on the accounts of 34 people with experience of sexting. We identified three main themes in participants' accounts related to the emotional aspects of sexting: (1) trust, (2) desire/intimacy and (3) shame. Under each theme, we identified motivations, 'feeling rules', and examples of 'emotion work' relating to the self, the other and the dyad. We conclude that there are shared cultural norms that constitute what appropriate sexting should feel like. Interventions aiming to minimise harms arising from sexting need to build on commonly held cultural conventions regarding the 'rules of the game' concerning feelings as well as behaviours.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Sexting among British adults: a qualitative analysis of sexting as emotion work governed by ‘feeling rules’ |
| Location: | England |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1080/13691058.2022.2080866 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2022.2080866 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This research was funded in whole, or in part, by the Wellcome Trust [212931/Z/18/Z]. For the purpose of Open Access, the author has applied a CC BY public copyright licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission. |
| Keywords: | Sexting, adults, emotion work, feeling rules |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute for Global Health > Infection and Population Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute for Global Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10153768 |
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
