Dr. Marina Frederike Thomas

Postdoctoral Researcher, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences Lecturer, Department of Communication, University of Vienna

Media psychologist and communication scientist studying how digital technologies — from dating apps to smartphones — shape romantic relationships, sexuality, and mental well-being.

Citation count per Google Scholar, July 2026.

About

Portrait — placeholder for a photograph to come.

Marina Frederike Thomas is a media psychologist and communication scientist whose research examines how digital technologies shape romantic relationships, sexuality, and mental well-being. She is a postdoctoral researcher at the Research Centre Transitional Psychiatry at Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences in Krems, Austria, and teaches research methods at the Department of Communication of the University of Vienna.

She received her PhD in communication science from the University of Vienna in 2023 with a dissertation on decision-making on dating apps and its consequences for well-being, following a research master in behavioural science at Radboud University Nijmegen. Her work on choice overload, excessive swiping, matches, and the fear of missing out on dating apps has appeared in leading journals including New Media & Society, Media Psychology, Computers in Human Behavior, the Journal of Medical Internet Research, and Archives of Sexual Behavior.

Her current research focuses on digital mental health in psychiatric populations and on the mental health of young people in transition to adulthood — including anhedonia, problematic online dating, and how self-harm urges and behaviors manifest in digital environments — combining perspectives from media psychology, social psychology, and clinical research.

Research Interests

  • media psychology
  • social psychology
  • digital mental health
  • online dating & romantic relationships
  • sexuality & sexting
  • digital self-harm
  • digital well-being
  • smartphone use & attention
  • adolescent & young-adult mental health
  • anhedonia

Publications

Peer-reviewed journal articles

Twenty articles, grouped by year, newest first.

In press

  • Thomas, M. F., Binder, A., & Matthes, J. (in press). Sexting privacy management: Who cares and how? Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace.

2026

  • Thomas, M. F., Mittmann, G., Dorczok, M. C., & Steiner-Hofbauer, V. (2026). Not feeling it: Modifiable correlates of anhedonia. Behavioral Sciences, 16(4), 533. doi:10.3390/bs16040533
  • Mittmann, G., Dorczok, M. C., Thomas, M. F., Schwarzott, F., & Steiner-Hofbauer, V. (2026). A qualitative analysis of self-reported pleasurable experiences of young adults and implications for measures of anhedonia. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 48(1), 7. doi:10.1007/s10862-026-10268-6
  • Dorczok, M. C., Mossaheb, N., Mittmann, G., Thomas, M. F., Bartova, L., Schrank, B., & Steiner-Hofbauer, V. (2026). Use and perceived helpfulness of different intervention strategies in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and depression. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 15(2), 849. doi:10.3390/jcm15020849

2025

  • Thomas, M. F., Mittmann, G., & Steiner-Hofbauer, V. (2025). The Snaith–Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) and Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS) diverge in measuring anhedonia in a community sample of young adults. Psychiatry Research, 353, 116736. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2025.116736
  • Thomas, M. F., Binder, A., & Matthes, J. (2025). Decision-making on dating apps: Is swiping more less and swiping right wrong? Media Psychology, 1–32. doi:10.1080/15213269.2025.2555430
  • Hu, J. M., & Thomas, M. F. (2025). Are anxiously attached dating app users less successful and feel worse after use? The moderating effect of platform anonymity. Information, Communication & Society. doi:10.1080/1369118X.2025.2539294
  • Thomas, M. F., Dörfler, S., Mittmann, G., & Steiner-Hofbauer, V. (2025). Problematic online dating: Systematic review of definitions, correlates, and study designs. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 27, e72850. doi:10.2196/72850
  • Karsay, K., Thomas, M. F., & Matthes, J. (2025). Inspiration for perspiration? Two experiments testing the psychological effects of fitspiration. Psychology of Popular Media, 14(3), 339–353. doi:10.1037/ppm0000605
  • Thomas, M. F., & Buijzen, M. (2025). The influence of a porn literacy intervention on explicit and implicit attitudes. Studies in Communication and Media, 14(1), 8–36. doi:10.5771/2192-4007-2025-1-8
  • Binder, A., Stević, A., Matthes, J., & Thomas, M. F. (2025). Dating algorithms? Investigating the reciprocal relationships between partner choice FOMO, decision fatigue, excessive swiping, and trust in algorithms on dating apps. New Media & Society, 27(12), 6396–6415. doi:10.1177/14614448241270542

2023

  • Thomas, M. F., Binder, A., & Matthes, J. (2023). The psychological influence of dating app matches: The more matches the merrier? New Media & Society. doi:10.1177/14614448231161598
  • Stević, A., Schmuck, D., Thomas, M. F., Karsay, K., & Matthes, J. (2023). Distracted children? Nighttime smartphone use, children's attentional problems, and school performance over time. Journal of Early Adolescence. doi:10.1177/02724316231164734
  • Matthes, J., Stević, A., Koban, K., Thomas, M. F., Forrai, M., & Karsay, K. (2023). Fear of missing out, reflective smartphone disengagement, and loneliness in late adolescents. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. doi:10.1089/cyber.2023.0014
  • Thomas, M. F., Binder, A., Stević, A., & Matthes, J. (2023). 99+ matches but a spark ain't one: Adverse psychological effects of excessive swiping on young dating app users. Telematics and Informatics. doi:10.1016/j.tele.2023.101949

2022

  • Thomas, M. F., Binder, A., & Matthes, J. (2022). "Love in the time of Corona": Predicting willingness to engage in sexting during the first COVID-19-related lockdown. Archives of Sexual Behavior. doi:10.1007/s10508-022-02292-w
  • Thomas, M. F., Binder, A., & Matthes, J. (2022). The agony of partner choice: The effects of excessive partner availability on fear of being single, self-esteem, and partner choice overload. Computers in Human Behavior, 126, 106977. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2021.106977
  • Stević, A., Schmuck, D., Koemets, A., Hirsch, M., Karsay, K., Thomas, M. F., & Matthes, J. (2022). Privacy concerns can stress you out: Investigating the reciprocal relationship between mobile social media privacy concerns and perceived stress. Communications: The European Journal of Communication Research. doi:10.1515/commun-2020-0037

2021

  • Matthes, J., Thomas, M. F., Stević, A., & Schmuck, D. (2021). Fighting over smartphones? Parents' excessive smartphone use, lack of control over children's use, and conflict. Computers in Human Behavior, 116, 106618. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2020.106618

2019

  • Van der Helm, L., Thomas, M. F., Witteman, C., De Kwaadsteniet, L., & Van Doesum, K. (2019). "Als je de ouder kwijt bent, dan help je het kind niet": Gebruik van de Meldcode huiselijk geweld en kindermishandeling in de GGZ ["You're not helping the child if you scare the parent away": Why mental health care workers do not report their clients' child maltreatment]. Tijdschrift Klinische Psychologie, 49(2), 139–156. PDF

Full publication list on Google Scholar.

Publications in non-indexed journals

  • Thomas, M. F., Dörfler, S., Mittmann, G., & Steiner-Hofbauer, V. (2025). Internet, dating, addiction: A match made in heaven. In-Mind, 9. in-mind.org
  • Thomas, M. F. (2024). Psychologische Effekte des Swipens auf Dating-Apps [Psychological effects of swiping on dating apps]. Psychologie in Österreich, 3, 208–216. PDF

Conference presentations

18 first-authored presentations, newest first — show the list
  • Thomas, M. F. (2026, January). Qualitative data on digital self-harm. DGPuK Rezeptions- und Wirkungsforschung (RezFo), January 21–23, Klagenfurt, Austria.
  • Thomas, M. F., Dörfler, S., & Steiner-Hofbauer, V. (2025, November). Media literacy. Cyberspace Conference, November 28–29, Brno, Czech Republic.
  • Thomas, M. F., Dörfler, S., & Steiner-Hofbauer, V. (2025, November). Digital self-harm: Online vignette experiment. Cyberspace Conference, November 28–29, Brno, Czech Republic.
  • Thomas, M. F. (2025, July–August). From matches to marriage: Attachment and the dating app journey. Symposium at the International Association for Relationship Research (IARR), July 31–August 3, London, United Kingdom.
  • Thomas, M. F., Dörfler, S., Mittmann, G., & Steiner-Hofbauer, V. (2025, July). Internet, dating, addiction: A match made in heaven. International Association for Relationship Research (IARR), July 31–August 3, London, United Kingdom.
  • Thomas, M. F., Dörfler, S., Mittmann, G., & Steiner-Hofbauer, V. (2025, April). Internet, dating, addiction: A match made in heaven. Austrian Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics (ÖGPP), April 2–5, Vienna, Austria.
  • Thomas, M. F., Mittmann, G., Höflich, A., & Steiner-Hofbauer, V. (2025, April). Modifiable correlates of anhedonia. Austrian Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics (ÖGPP), April 2–5, Vienna, Austria.
  • Thomas, M. F., Binder, A., & Matthes, J. (2024, September). Safer sexting: Who cares and how? 53rd biennial Congress of the German Psychological Society (DGPs), September 16–19, Vienna, Austria.
  • Thomas, M. F., Binder, A., & Matthes, J. (2024, June). Sexting-related privacy management: Who cares and how? Interpersonal Communication Division, 74th annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), June 20–24, Gold Coast, Australia. — Top paper award.
  • Thomas, M. F., Stević, A., & Matthes, J. (2023, August). Longitudinal outcomes of dating app decisioning: Just swipe or swipe right? Communication Technology Division, AEJMC Annual Convention, August 7–10, Washington, D.C., USA.
  • Thomas, M. F., Binder, A., & Matthes, J. (2023, May). The psychological influence of number of profiles and decision mode on dating apps: When locomotion is self-devaluing. Mobile Communication Division, 73rd annual conference of the ICA, May 25–29, Toronto, Canada. — Top student-led paper award.
  • Thomas, M. F., Binder, A., & Matthes, J. (2022, September). The more matches the merrier? The influence of dating app matches on psychological outcomes. 52nd biennial Congress of the German Psychological Society (DGPs), September 10–15, Hildesheim, Germany.
  • Thomas, M. F., Binder, A., & Matthes, J. (2022, May). The more matches the merrier? The influence of dating app matches on psychological outcomes. Communication and Technology Division, (hybrid) 72nd annual conference of the ICA, May 26–30, Paris, France.
  • Thomas, M. F., Binder, A., & Matthes, J. (2021, August). Why more is less on dating apps: The effects of excessive partner availability. Communication Theory and Methodology Division, (virtual) AEJMC Annual Convention, August 4–7.
  • Thomas, M. F., Binder, A., & Matthes, J. (2021, May). Love in the time of Corona: Predicting willingness to engage in sexting during the COVID-19-related lockdown. Communication and Technology Division, (virtual) 71st annual conference of the ICA, May 27–31.
  • Thomas, M. F., Binder, A., & Matthes, J. (2021, January). Love in the time of Corona: Predicting willingness to engage in sexting during the COVID-19-related lockdown. DGPuK Rezeptions- und Wirkungsforschung (RezFo), January 27–29, virtual.
  • Thomas, M. F., & Buijzen, M. (2018, May). Porn 101: The influence of a porn literacy intervention on perceived porn realism, body dissatisfaction, and sexist attitudes. Mass Communication Division, (virtual) 70th annual conference of the ICA, May 21–26.
  • Thomas, M. F. (2016, August). Why would women fall for money? The effect of gender ideology and culture on the mate preference for resources. Student Undergraduate Research E-journal, student research conference, August 12. doi:10.25609/sure.v2.1449

Curriculum Vitae

Research Experience

09/2025 – present
Researcher (postdoc), Association for the Promotion of Research at Wilhelminenspital, Vienna — psychiatric research (e.g., depressive symptoms during the menstrual cycle). Supervisor: Beate Schrank (psychiatry).
06/2024 – present
Researcher (postdoc), Karl Landsteiner University, Transitional Psychiatry, Krems — internet and mental health in transition-age youth (e.g., digital self-harm). Supervisor: Verena Steiner-Hofbauer (clinical psychology).
10/2019 – 10/2023
Researcher (predoctoral), Advertising and Media Psychology research group, University of Vienna — dating app use, sexting, smartphone use and well-being. Supervisor: Jörg Matthes (communication science).
05/2023 – 06/2023
Research visit, University of Toronto — romantic relationships and fear of being single. Supervisor: Geoff MacDonald (social psychology).
03/2017 – 09/2019
Master thesis: experimental test of a media literacy intervention for pornography. Supervisor: Moniek Buijzen (communication science).
04/2017 – 08/2017
Research assistant: visual attention and implicit recognition of healthy foods in adolescents (study). Supervisors: Lelia Samson and Moniek Buijzen (communication science).

Education

2019–2023
Vienna Doctoral School of Social Sciences, Vienna, Austria (PhD).
2016–2019
Research Master Behavioral Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands.
2015–2016
Courses in philosophy, cultural anthropology, and gender studies, Radboud University Nijmegen.
01/2015 – 06/2015
Exchange semester, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.
2012–2015
B.Sc. Psychology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands.

Awards and Research Funding

06/2025
Research funding (26,000 EUR) to study digital self-harm, Association for the Promotion of Scientific Research at Wilhelminenspital.
06/2024
Top paper award, Interpersonal Communication Division, International Communication Association (ICA), for a paper on sexting-related privacy management.
05/2023
Top student-led paper award, Mobile Communication Division, ICA, for "The psychological influence of number of profiles and decision mode on dating apps" (published in Media Psychology).
05/2023
Short-term grant abroad (KWA), University of Vienna, for the research visit at the University of Toronto.
05/2023
Grant, Vienna Doctoral School of Social Sciences, for the visit at the University of Toronto.
07/2021
Grant, Vienna Doctoral School of Social Sciences, for a dissertation study.
01/2021
COVID grant, German Psychological Society.

Teaching Experience

12 courses taught since 2017 — show the list
03/2026 – 07/2026
Introduction to quantitative research methods (1 semester hour), Department of Communication, University of Vienna.
03/2026 – 07/2026
Statistical data analysis with SPSS (1 semester hour), Department of Communication, University of Vienna.
10/2025 – 01/2026
Research practice (3 semester hours), Department of Communication, University of Vienna.
03/2025 – 07/2025
Introduction to quantitative research methods (1 semester hour), Department of Communication, University of Vienna.
03/2025 – 07/2025
Statistical data analysis with SPSS (1 semester hour), Department of Communication, University of Vienna.
09/2024 – 06/2025
Cyberpsychology (4 semester hours), IES Abroad (American exchange students in Vienna).
10/2024 – 01/2025
Research practice (3 semester hours), Department of Communication, University of Vienna.
03/2024 – 01/2025
Experimental psychology 1 (4 semester hours), Department of Psychology, University of Sustainability.
2022–2024
Empirical research in education: quantitative methods (3 semester hours), Department of Social Pedagogy, University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt.
2020–2023
Introduction to quantitative research methods (1 semester hour), Department of Communication, University of Vienna.
2020–2023
Statistical data analysis with SPSS (1 semester hour), Department of Communication, University of Vienna.
2017–2019
Methods of research and intervention (2 semester hours), Institute of Management Research, Radboud University.

Invited Talks

10/2027
Upcoming — invited workshop on digital self-harm, ÖAGG (largest accredited organization for psychotherapy training in Austria).
02/2025
Invited talk on choice overload, University of Stirling.
01/2024
Invited talk on sexting, Sexual Health Center Salzburg.

Reviewer Activities

Acta Psychologica; Archives of Sexual Behavior; Behaviour & Information Technology; Behavioral Sciences; Cross-Cultural Research; Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace; Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking; European Addiction Research; Information, Communication & Society; Media Psychology; Journal of Communication; Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology; Telematics and Informatics.

Science Communication

09/2025
Podcast for Wissen Weekly on the "body count" phenomenon.
04/2025
Podcast for Deutschlandfunk Nova "Facts & Feelings" on the "boysober" phenomenon.
05/2024
Presentation on dating app use at the Pint of Science festival, Vienna.
03/2024
Radio interview on women's digital sexuality for Frauengesundheitszentrum Salzburg.
02/2024
Presentation on psychological effects of dating app use, Wiener Volkshochschulen.
02/2024
Psychological consultancy for Slow Dating Events Vienna.
03/2023
Interview on "slutshaming" on TikTok for Stern.
12/2022
TV interview on psychological effects of dating app use for Puls4.

Memberships

International Communication Association (ICA); Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs); founding member of the PhD Club Media Psychology at the University of Vienna.

Languages

German: native · English: effective operational proficiency (C1) · Dutch: effective operational proficiency (C1) · French: intermediate (B1) · Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish: elementary (A1).

Profiles

Contact

marina.thomas@kl.ac.at

Research Centre Transitional Psychiatry, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems an der Donau, Austria