LOVE AND SEXUALITY
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Transcript of LOVE AND SEXUALITY
LOVE AND SEXUALITY• Romantic relationships -
physical displays of affection and expectations of some type of sexual relations
• Cohabitation – living with a romantic partner outside of marriage
• Sexuality – biological sexual development as well as sexual values, beliefs, thoughts, feelings, relationships, and behavior
“Hooking Up: The Relationship Contexts of ‘Nonrelationship’ Sex”
Journal of Adolescent Research
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
• Three types of sexual partners: steady, casual, and one-night stands
• Sexual relationships during adolescence provide opportunities for teens to:• Connect and relate to others• Provide companionship• Negotiate and explore their sexual identity• Learn how to establish sexual intimacy• Show maturity
WHY THIS STUDY WAS DONE
• Over 50% of sexually active teens have had sexual partners they are not dating
• Who are these teens having sex with? • What are the differences between
characteristics of a dating sexual relationship and a non dating sexual relationship?
METHOD: 2 parts• Random survey of
1,316 7th, 9th, and 11th graders in Lucas County, Ohio
• 413 were sexually active• 119 outside of dating
relationship• 269 with boyfriend or
girlfriend
• In-depth interviews of 59 out of the 413 sexually active adolescents
• Criteria for inclusion in interview process:• Race and/or Ethnicity• Having dated at some
point• Gender
DIFFERENT AFFECTS SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS HAVE ON BOYS VERSUS
GIRLS
GIRLS• More concerned about
protecting reputation
• Most direct consequences
• Stronger relational orientation
• Focus on relationships
BOYS• Strong cultural expectation
to gain sexual experiences
• 17% more likely to engage in nondating sexual activity
• Focus on sex
STATISTICS ON NONDATING RELATIONSHIPS
• 61% of sexually active teens report having had sex outside the context of a dating relationship• ___ % with someone they did not know• ___ % with an ex-girlfriend or boyfriend • ___ % with a friend
Why do some teens choose to be in dating sexual relationships and
some nondating sexual relationships?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJS-wWqVAyk
TEENS IN DATING SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS VERSUS NONDATING SEXUAL
RELATIONSHIPS
DATING• More concerned with
homophily• Lower levels of
heterogamy (50%)• Public affairs (92%)• More feelings of closeness
to sexual partner prior to sex (2/3)
• Expectation of commitment and exclusivity more common (56%)
NONDATING • Less concerned with homophily• Greater levels of heterogamy
(62%)• Private affairs (67%)• Less feelings of closeness to
sexual partner prior to sex (1/3)• Expectation of commitment and
exclusivity less common (47%)
“Family structure history and adolescent
romantic relationships”
Journal of Marriage and Family
WHY THIS STUDY WAS DONE
• Researchers wanted to see if there was a correlation between the family structure and adolescent romantic relationships
• This study looks how family structure affects adolescent romantic relationships through two ways:• The Family Structure • Family Instability
FAMILY STRUCTURE• Snapshot of parents relationship status in a young
person’s home during adolescence
• Different types of family structures:• Two biological parents - • Single parent• Step families
FAMILY INSTABILITY• Involves changes in family structure across the early
life course and the timing of the instability.
• Example: A mother getting remarried 3 times or cohabitating with every boyfriend
DIFFERENCES IN GENDER
GIRLS• More likely to engage in
romantic relationships
• More likely to experience the emotional and social consequences
• More likely to turn to friends
• Do better in single-mother homes
• Closer relationship keeps them from engaging in unhealthy relationships
BOYS• Less likely to have
intimate friendships
• More likely to turn to romantic relationship
• Romantic relationships were driven by experiences in the home
• Boys weaker relationships fails to keep them out of unhealthy relationships
DIFFERENCES IN AGEYOUNGER
• More friendships
• Fewer romantic relationships
• Shorter duration
OLDER• More serious romantic
relationships
• More likely to show support and comfort
• More conflict
RESULTS• Adolescents with a family
structure of:• Stepparent families• Cohabitating stepparent
families• Single parent families
• More likely to be in multiple romantic relationships and more relationship instability.
• Timing of instability• Family instability in middle
childhood and early adolescence • More likely to be
romantically involved • More opportunities to engage
in relationships• Instability at a young age is
more important for romantic lives of young people• Have less advanced
interpersonal skills
DISCUSSION• How does this article fit into Belsky’s model?
“Precursors of Young Women’s Family Formation Pathways “
Journal of Marriage and Family
PAST VERSUS PRESENT
• Postponing marriage until later in life• Cohabitating instead of getting married• Having more children outside of marriage
COHABITATION• In the United States, cohabitation is experienced
by nearly two-thirds of emerging adults• Young people choose to cohabit because they
hope it will increase their chances of their marriage lasting
• Cohabitation increases the risk of divorce because it forces incompatible people into marriage out of the “inertia of cohabitation”
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrbwDEE_UxE&feature=related
WHY THIS STUDY WAS DONE
• This study looks at what aspects of a woman’s life influence her to make various decisions about her transition into adulthood
METHOD• Women participants – 2,290
• Questions about: • family formation pathways• family of origin structural resources• adolescents’ personal and social resources• and values and behavior
• Example questions:• “Have you ever lived with someone in a marriage like relationship
for one month or more?”• “Do you get along well with him/her”• “In the last 12 months, how often did you go to religious
services?”
THE EFFECT OF VALUE ORIENTATION IN ADOLESCENTS
• Children brought up in a religious home: • more likely to hold conservative values• less likely to participate in early sexual activity • less likely to cohabit in early adulthood
ASPECTS OF ADOLESCENT FAMILY LIFE THAT INFLUENCE FEMALES’ PERSONAL
DECISIONS• Grow up in single-parent households are especially likely
to engage in non marital cohabitation and have non marital births.
• Close relationships with parents are linked to adolescent adjustment and social competence, making adolescents less susceptible to negative peer influences.
• Adolescent daughters with close relationships with their parents are especially likely to delay first sexual intercourse.
PRECURSORS CONTINUED
• Adolescent girls with few emotional and social resources tend to start their families and unions relatively early
• Women with depression and despondency neglect to take precautions to prevent unintended pregnancies
• Women from high parental education, high family income, growing up in a two-parent household and not being of African American orientation are less likely to become pregnant and start unions early