The study, published in Computers in Human Behavior, found that women were more likely to stretch the truth while being virtually intimate — or at least more likely to admit to it — with 45 percent admitting to sending fake messages. In comparison, 24 percent of men said they lied while sexting.
If there is any comfort to take in the fact that your sexting partner has probably lied to you, it’s that they did it for your own good. The study found that most people lie to fulfill their partner’s needs. Others lied to help get themselves in the mood. A smaller percentage chalked their lying up to being bored or wanting to see how their partner would react, or performed a lie of omission by leaving out information like being in a room with other people while sexting. We really suggest not doing that, by the way.
Related: Sorry, the Only Safe Sexting is No Sexting
The information found in the study matches up with the findings of a 2010 Journal of Sex Research study that found half of women and 25 percent of men had faked orgasms. The reasons similarly focused on doing so for the benefit on a partner, or just wanting to be done with sex.
If you’re worried that your partner is simply humoring you while participating in your sextual advances, fear not. At least you’re getting a response. According to Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 80 percent of college students said they had received sexts, while 67 percent had sent them. That’s a very sad 13 percent of people who learned an important lesson about unsolicited sexts.
