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