Exploring the Redefined Dynamics of Romance, Intimacy and Sexual behaviour in the Modern Dating Era.

Abstract

The 21st century has invariably changed the ways in which elements of any relationship, i.e. intimacy, affection and romance are experienced. Young adults especially “gen z” rely mostly on online friendships and partners from social media networking and other online sites. Although this has its own pros and cons compared to relationships that evolve in natural settings, it is crucial to understand the changing dynamics of romantic relationships in the modern dating era, not only because it will help the young adults to understand themselves as well as their partner’s expectations in nuanced ways, but it will also inform the future therapeutic models to take into account these aspects to understand the clients better and build strategies accordingly. This study has used a qualitative approach with semi structured interviews to understand people’s lived narratives of dating in the modern era. The questions were open ended and broadly focused around individuals' understanding of romance, intimacy and sexual behaviour in their relationships. The findings inform that individuals find online dating more accessible and comfortable than being vulnerable in a real life setting. Participants also spoke about the importance of emotional intimacy in relationships rather than only physical intimacy for long term commitment.