Snapchat as a new tool for sexual access: Are there sex differences?

Snapchat is a popular social media app that provides users the opportunity to send and receive photos and videos; however, these photos and videos only last ten seconds with a close group of friends. However, there is little research regarding user's sexual behavior with the app. This current project (N=450, 126 men and 324 women), investigated the sex difference between men and women and their use of the app for sending naked snapchats, gaining sexual access, and gaining a sexual hookup. It was hypothesized that men were more likely to use the app to gain a mate, and ask for naked snapchats. Women were predicted to be more likely than men to use the app to send naked snapchats to a partner, and to use this behavior continually to keep their partner interested. It was also hypothesized that unrestricted individuals would use the app more. These hypotheses were partially supported. Women did not use the app to continuously send naked snapchats. However, men were more likely than women to use the app for a hookup and unrestricted individuals were associated with using Snapchat to gain sexual access, hookups, and to continue sending naked snapchats.