Phenomenological Study - Friends with Benefits (FWB) Decision Making Towards Interpersonal Relationships Through Online Applications

Aug 22, 2026

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Friends with Benefits (FWB) describes a non-committed relationship between friends shaped by motives such as sexual release, building an FWB arrangement, avoiding serious commitments, seeking a simple relationship, and maintaining friendship. This qualitative phenomenological study examines decision-making patterns of FWB actors in relation to their interpersonal relationships, using indepth interviews and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to extract emergent and superordinate themes. Findings show decisions guided by sexual impressions, with relationships framed as friends but intimate, focused on satisfying sexual needs, and limited to having fun.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

FWB phenomenon and online platforms

Friendship vs. romantic exclusivity

Interpersonal relationships and communication

Method and analysis

Qualitative phenomenological approach

Data collection and participants

IPA analysis process

Findings and decision-making patterns

Sexual impressions and relationship variety

Interpersonal relationship characteristics

Phenomenological Study: Friends with Benefit (FWB) Decision Making Towards Interpersonal Relationships Through Online Applications Rika Fuaturosida 1 [0000-0002-9398-9932], Yusuf Ratu Agung2 [0000-0003-1187-7214], Edvin Eka Nur Rochim3, and AlifArifzan Anshari4 1 Islamic State University Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Malang 65144, Indonesia 2 Islamic State University Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Malang 65144, Indonesia 3 Islamic State University Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Malang 65144, Indonesia 4 Islamic State University Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Malang 65144, Indonesia Abstract. Friends with Benefits is a status less relationship between two people who are friends with various motives, including the release of sexuality, the desire to establish FWB, avoiding serious relationships, wanting a simple relationship, and establishing friendship. This study aims to determine the decision making of the friends with benefits relationship on the interpersonal relationship of the perpetrator. The method used is a qualitative research method with a phenomenological approach. The data collection technique used in this research is indepth interviews with participants who have been in friends with benefits relationships. The participants in this study were 2 main subjects and 3 supporting informants. The analysis technique used in this research is Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) with the stages of preparing interview transcripts, initial recording, formulating emergent themes, formulating superordinate themes, making patterns of experience between participants and reporting results. Based on the results of the study, it shows that the decision-making pattern of friends with benefits involves a distinctive impression, namely the sexual impression on each participant, the relationship pattern of friends with benefits is described variously, such as friends but intimate, sexual need satisfaction, and relationships limited to having fun. The interpersonal relationship in question is just a friend and the main point of agreement is only sexual activity. Keywords: friend with benefits, interpersonal relationship 1 INTRODUCTION The FWB phenomenon is one of the many phenomena that have begun to be discussed by the public. In Indonesia, the FWB phenomenon is quite often experienced and discussed, especially by teenagers or early adults in the form of sharing experiences, ex- planations, and community discussions on matters surrounding definitions, characteristics, procedures, benefits, and various other discussions. FWB (friends with benefits) can be categorized as a casual sex relationship, which is formed from the integration of friendship with sexual intimacy or physical intimacy [18][19] [23] . FWBs consist of actions that describe a romantic relationship, such as sexual and physical arousal or desire, but are also accompanied by treatment or statements, either directly or indirectly, from the partner that the relationship is not romantic. FWBs can be established through online introductions on dating apps or on the internet. The internet itself has become a space used by individuals to search for various things, especially friends, communities, romantic partners, and sexual partners [9] . The act of looking for partners or engaging in sexual activities online has been described previously. Through research conducted in 4 countries (Sweden, Canada Germany, and USA), there is a considerable amount, especially in the implementation of cybersex acts, which is at a value of 30.8% of a total of 2,690 respondents [12] . Oneof the platforms that offers dating services, having many users with various motivations is Tinder. Based on research in the Netherlands, one of the motivations for using the service is to find partners for casual sex [22] . Friendship is generally understood as a relationship that excludes feelings of romantic love and sexual contact to distinguish friendship from romantic relationships [5][6] . Friendship c

FAQs

What motives commonly shape Friends with Benefits (FWB) relationships?

FWB relationships are described as driven by motives such as sexual release, establishing an FWB arrangement, avoiding serious relationships, wanting a simple relationship, and maintaining friendship.

How does the study analyze decision-making in FWB actors?

The study uses qualitative research with a phenomenological approach and applies Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), including steps such as preparing interview transcripts and deriving emergent and superordinate themes.

What patterns of decision-making emerge in the findings?

The findings indicate a decision-making pattern marked by distinct sexual impressions, with relationship forms varying from friends who are intimate to arrangements focused on sexual need satisfaction and shared fun.

Aug 22, 2026

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