When it comes to hookups, there are many misconceptions about the people who participate in them. Some people think that those who engage in casual sexual encounters don't like the idea of having sexual contact with someone they don't know very well and have no intention of getting to know very well. However, this is not always the case. In fact, some people enjoy casual sex because it lacks the expectations, responsibility, and pressures of a traditional romantic relationship.
Religious beliefs can also be a factor in why some people choose not to engage in casual sex. We have a handful of religious students on campus who choose not to have casual sexual encounters because of their faith. However, this is not the case for everyone. The vast majority of people don't connect because they simply find it unattractive.
In her new book American Hookup, Lisa Wade, associate professor of sociology at Occidental College, challenges these myths and others to paint a more complete picture of sex in college. Through surveys and interviews with students on campuses across the country, Wade demonstrates how gender, race and class come into play in the culture of sexual relationships. The mating intelligence scale was used to assess connection behavior in a sample of 132 university students. It was found that a substantial portion of today's emerging adults are likely to be forced into public relationships while wanting both immediate sexual gratification and more stable romantic ties.
Dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble, Grindr, OkCupid and Coffee Meets Bagel have provided people with plenty of options for dating and casual sex. This has helped reduce the stigma about non-committal sexual relationships. However, it is important to note that people's affective reactions during and after a sexual relationship may be in conflict. We are used to thinking of people who are sexually daring, assertive and free as the rebels.
However, it is important to remember that multiple motivations may be in conflict and multiple discourse messages may be in conflict. Men should be challenged to treat even their first partners as generously as the women they hang out with treat them.
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