Study: Sexting, 'another way of flirting' - Fox 2 News Headlines

For the internet generation sexting may not be as taboo as previously thought and in fact a researcher says has become 'another way of flirting' for many.

The University of Michigan SexLab and Prevention Research Center of Michigan studied 3,500 young adults and found about 43 percent said they sent or received sex-related messages on their phone.

 Asked about sexting, Jose Bauermeister, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health tells the AnnArbor.com "It doesn't seem to be problematic," he said, adding that sexting is becoming "more and more common." Just like when the Internet rolled out, we should expect to see technology embedded in our sexuality," he continued.

The study says about 28 percent of those surveyed said they sent and received sexual pictures, 13 percent received and 2 percent sent without receiving pictures in return. 57 percent said they never sexted.

The study also found sexting doesn't increase depression, anxiety or self-esteem. But sexters typically are more sexually active.

Researchers found men are more likely to receive sex-related messages without returning one.

"What was surprising to us was given all the 'hurrah, hurrah' and the long-standing assumption that sexting must be associated with risk… we actually didn't see any of that," said Bauermeister.