Compulsive Dating App and Porn Use Linked to a Less Meaningful View of Love

People who compulsively use dating apps and pornography are more likely to view romantic love as less meaningful and more transactional, according to new research published in BMC Psychology. The findings suggest that addiction-like patterns of use can subtly reshape how users understand love and relationships.

The study, titled Romeo swipes Juliet left!? Problematic online dating app use and problematic pornography consumption are associated with a weaker sense of existential meaning in romantic love, was authored by Reza Shabahang, Zsolt Demetrovics, Mehdi Akbari, Gaëlle Ouvrein, and Ágnes Zsila.

The research found that problematic users tended to fall in and out of love more quickly, report weaker existential meaning in romance and lean toward a pragmatic, deal-like view of partnership. While most people use these platforms without harm, a subset appear to experience deeper shifts in their beliefs about what love is worth.

Existential meaning of romantic love

The researchers approached love from an existential perspective, treating it as a core human experience that gives life depth, purpose and a sense of direction. From this perspective, romantic relationships are not merely arrangements or biological drives but sources of meaning that can justify sacrifice and long-term commitment.

Digital platforms, however, often encourage very different dynamics. Dating apps tend to reward quick, appearance-based judgments, while pornography emphasizes immediate physical gratification over emotional intimacy. The researchers suspected that heavy, compulsive engagement with these environments might erode more idealistic or philosophical views of love.

How the study was conducted

Researchers from Flinders University in Australia and ELTE Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary surveyed 664 adult internet users in Iran. Participants, whose average age was 26, reported using both dating apps and pornography websites despite formal restrictions on such platforms in the country.

The survey measured problematic dating app use and problematic pornography consumption, focusing on signs such as restlessness when not using, unsuccessful attempts to cut back and interference with everyday life. These patterns resemble behavioral addictions, although they are not yet formal clinical diagnoses.

Participants also completed questionnaires assessing emotional promiscuity, or emophilia, which reflects a tendency to fall in love quickly and frequently with limited selectivity. Additional questions measured existential reflection on love, the perceived meaningfulness of love and pragmatic attitudes emphasizing practical considerations such as financial stability.

The researchers also evaluated mindful social media use, asking how intentional and self-aware participants were while using digital platforms. This allowed the team to examine whether a more conscious, reflective style of engagement might buffer against problematic patterns.

Key findings on love and compulsion

Problematic use of both dating apps and pornography was associated with lower levels of existential reflection on love and a weaker sense that love gives life meaning. These associations remained after controlling for age, gender, education, relationship status and sexual orientation, suggesting they were not simply explained by demographic differences.

Higher problematic use was also linked to more pragmatic views of love and greater emotional promiscuity. People who reported compulsive swiping or pornography consumption were more likely to view romance as a practical arrangement and to describe themselves as falling in love frequently and easily.

The two problematic behaviors were also strongly correlated with each other. Participants who struggled to control their dating app use were more likely to report similarly uncontrolled pornography consumption, pointing to shared psychological mechanisms behind these patterns.

Mindful social media use showed a robust protective effect. Participants who reported being more aware and intentional online were much less likely to engage with dating apps or pornography in problematic ways. Once mindfulness was included in the analysis, problematic pornography use also showed a clear negative association with the perceived meaningfulness of love.

Why engagement style matters

Lead author Reza Shabahang said the findings point to how people use these platforms, rather than simply how much time they spend on them, as the key risk factor. Many casual users appear unaffected, while those who develop compulsive, automatic patterns are more likely to report emptier, more cynical views of romantic love.

According to the researchers, purposeful engagement may help preserve a healthier outlook. Users who understand why they are online, monitor their emotional responses and are willing to log off when interactions begin to feel hollow may be less vulnerable to shifts in their beliefs about romance.

The study aligns with earlier research showing that a broader sense of meaninglessness in life is associated with more frequent pornography use. However, the new research focuses specifically on meaning within romantic love, highlighting how digital habits can intersect with one of the most personal aspects of identity.

Limitations and future directions

The authors emphasize that the findings describe tendencies rather than fixed outcomes. Many participants did not fit the observed patterns, and the cross-sectional design means the study cannot establish whether problematic use changes beliefs about love or whether people who are already disillusioned with romance are more likely to develop compulsive patterns.

Reliance on self-reported data and the Iranian sample also limits generalizability. Both dating apps and pornography are restricted in Iran, while cultural norms surrounding sexuality and modesty differ from those in many Western countries, potentially influencing participants’ responses.

Even so, the researchers argue that the basic psychological processes they observed are likely to appear elsewhere, particularly given that dating apps and pornography now reach hundreds of millions of users worldwide. Small changes in individual attitudes could have substantial social effects when occurring at scale.

Future research will aim to follow users over time to clarify cause-and-effect relationships and examine whether these patterns differ across cultures. The team is also interested in testing simple prompts or design changes that could encourage more mindful use, potentially reducing the risk that digital tools erode the perceived value of romantic love.

Article prepared by Victoria Caldwell.