Keywords
attachment styles; parental attachment; sociosexuality; online dating; college students; hookup culture
Abstract
The aim of this thesis is to explore the connection between attachment styles, parental attachment, and sociosexuality as predictors of online dating attitudes among college students. As society navigates this new digital era of online dating, how does it continue to transform young adults as they form romantic and sexual connections? It becomes increasingly important to understand the psychological mechanisms that influence these behaviors. This study examined how anxious and avoidant attachment styles, parental attachment, and sociosexuality may have contributed to online hookup attempts and outcomes behaviors. It also examined how these variables interacted and influenced both the likelihood of engaging in attempting online hookups and the outcomes. In doing so, this research aimed to further examine the complexities of intimacy, identity, and connection in the digital age and to inform future discussions surrounding relationship education, psychological support, and well-being in emerging adulthood. To measure two of the predicted variables, anxious attachment and avoidant attachment styles, (including both dismissive-avoidant and fearful-avoidant) the Revised Experience in Close Relationships (R-ECR) scale (Fraley et al., 2000) was used. To measure the third predicted variable parental attachment the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment-Revised (IPPA-R; (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987) was used. Finally, to measure the fourth and final predicted variable, sociosexuality, the Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI-R; Penke & Asendorpf, 2008) was used. The final sample consisted of 128 undergraduate students from the University of Central Florida (M = 21.22, SD = 4.79), ranging in age from 18 to 44 years. A standard multiple regression analysis was run to test whether the four predictor variables could provide an explanation for online hookup attempts and outcomes. Results indicated that none of the four predictor variables, anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, parental attachment, or sociosexuality significantly predicted online hookup attempts or outcomes.
Thesis Completion Year
2025
Thesis Completion Semester
Spring
Thesis Chair
Chesnut, Jason
College
College of Sciences
Department
Psychology
Thesis Discipline
Psychology
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Length of Campus Access
1 year
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Velez-Lozada, Jensley, "Navigating Online Dating: Exploring the Intersection of Attachment Styles, Parental Attachments, and Sociosexuality in Online Dating Among College Students" (2025). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 350.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/350
Included in
Biological Psychology Commons, Clinical Psychology Commons, Cognitive Science Commons, Counseling Psychology Commons, Health Psychology Commons, Other Psychology Commons, Social Psychology Commons
Rights Statement
