Young adult perceptions of internet communications and the grooming concept
Open accessAbstract
Research of young people shows a lack of understanding of the term grooming in online communications and that internet risks are taken because internet literacy is poor for this group. However, limited research has investigated the perceptions of young adults in this context. The aim of this study was to understand young adults’ perceptions of risk, their internet behaviors, and understanding of the grooming concept. Furthermore, to understand the types of risk behaviors young people engage in online, whether they perceive these behaviors as risky, and what implications this has for vulnerability to negative experiences. An examination of internet communication perceptions and the grooming concept focused on 10 young males and females aged between 18 and 23 years. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at open access youth organizations in the North West of England, UK, and the duration of each interview was approximately 30 min. The data were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Emergent themes were (a) grooming as a concept, (b) virtual lives, and (c) perception of risk. The findings concur there is limited understanding of the term grooming but that explanations may not be simply confined to literacy. Risks being taken online were not always perceived as risky. Recommendations include the need for a more nuanced definition of the term grooming and that more information is available to children and caregivers. Further work should focus on younger participants’ perceptions of grooming to address wider issues, together with a focus on risk taking behaviors among other vulnerable groups.
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There may be a lack of knowledge about cybergrooming as a phenomenon and a criminal offense, along with its recognition as an abusive situation.
“There may be a lack of knowledge about cybergrooming as a phenomenon and a criminal offense, along with its recognition as an abusive situation (Gámez-Guadix, Román, et al., 2021; Wood & Wheatcroft, 2020).”
From Why They Speak Up (or Don’t): Reasons For and Against Cybergrooming Disclosure Among Adolescent Victims (2025) · cites this paper as Wood & Wheatcroft, 2020
Young people aged 18-23 lacked knowledge about the grooming process; they entered relationships with groomers unsuspecting of deception and manipulation, often viewing the relationship as consensual rather than abusive.
“Recent findings from Wood & Wheatcroft (2020) showed that young people aged 18-23 also lacked knowledge about the grooming process.They entered into relationships with groomers unsuspecting of the deception and manipulation tactics used, often viewing the relationship as consensual rather than abusive.”
From Understanding online grooming: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of adolescents' offline meetings with adult perpetrators (2022) · cites this paper as Wood & Wheatcroft (2020)
As the ROBERT dataset was gathered in 2012, the participants were likely to be even less informed about grooming as compared to those surveyed in Wood & Wheatcroft's 2020 study.
“As the ROBERT dataset was gathered in 2012, it stands to reason that the participants were likely to be even less informed about grooming as compared to those surveyed in Wood & Wheatcroft's 2020 study.”
From Understanding online grooming: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of adolescents' offline meetings with adult perpetrators (2022) · cites this paper as Wood & Wheatcroft (2020)
Wood & Wheatcroft (2020) found that young people acknowledged the risk of meeting a stranger offline, but perceived limited risks of deception and only realised their risk-taking behaviours through maturity.
“Wood & Wheatcroft (2020) found that young people acknowledged the risk of meeting a stranger offline, but perceived limited risks of deception and only realised their risk-taking behaviours through maturity.”
From Understanding online grooming: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of adolescents' offline meetings with adult perpetrators (2022) · cites this paper as Wood & Wheatcroft (2020)
Recent findings such as those by Tener (2020) and Wood & Woodcraft (2020) suggest the need for more nuanced understanding.
“Yet, it seems that recent findings such as those by Tener (2020) and Wood & Woodcraft (2020) suggest the need for more nuanced understanding.”
From Understanding online grooming: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of adolescents' offline meetings with adult perpetrators (2022) · cites this paper as Wood & Woodcraft (2020)
The superordinate theme 'Varied interpretations of risk' is supported by an earlier study on young adult perceptions of internet communications with similar findings.
“The superordinate theme 'Varied interpretations of risk' is supported by an earlier study on young adult perceptions of internet communications with similar findings.”
From Understanding online grooming: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of adolescents' offline meetings with adult perpetrators (2022) · cites this paper as Wood & Wheatcroft (2020)
Wood & Wheatcroft (2020) also found that young people have a general awareness of grooming as a concept but lack a clear understanding of the manipulative tactics employed in the process.
“The same study, which was administered to participants aged 18-23, also found that young people have a general awareness of grooming as a concept but lack a clear understanding of the manipulative tactics employed in the process.”
From Understanding online grooming: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of adolescents' offline meetings with adult perpetrators (2022) · cites this paper as Wood & Wheatcroft (2020)
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References 25 · Cited by 17
- Authors
- Wood, A. C., & Wheatcroft, J. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Liverpool (GB)
- University of Gloucestershire (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Wheatcroft, Jacqueline M.
- Venue
- Sage Open
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2020-01
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 1
- ISSN
- 2158-2440 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3013440813
- Cited by
- 17
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2
- FWCI
- 1.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- SAGE Open (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Research Repository (University of Gloucestershire) (acceptedVersion)
- Research Repository (University of Gloucestershire) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Cybercrime and Law Enforcement Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Literacy, Media, and Education
- Keywords
- online grooming, young adults, internet literacy, online risk behavior, online communication, vulnerability, youth organizations
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