LOVE AND SEXUALITY

1. 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

2. “Hooking Up: The Relationship Contexts of ‘Nonrelationship’ Sex” Journal of Adolescent Research

3. 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

4. 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?

5. 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

6. DIFFERENT AFFECTS SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS HAVE ON BOYS VERSUS GIRLS GIRLS BOYS Strong cultural expectation to gain sexual experiences 17% more likely to engage in nondating sexual activity Focus on sex • More concerned about protecting reputation • Most direct consequences • Stronger relational orientation • Focus on relationships

7. 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

8. Why do some teens choose to be in dating sexual relationships and some nondating sexual relationships? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJS-wWqVAyk

9. TEENS IN DATING SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS VERSUS NONDATING SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS DATING 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%) • 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%)

10. “Family structure history and adolescentromantic relationships” Journal of Marriage and Family

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. DIFFERENCES IN GENDER GIRLS 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 • 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

15. DIFFERENCES IN AGE YOUNGER OLDER More serious romantic relationships More likely to show support and comfort More conflict • More friendships • Fewer romantic relationships • Shorter duration

16. 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

17. DISCUSSION • How does this article fit into Belsky’s model?

18. “Precursors of Young Women’s Family Formation Pathways “ Journal of Marriage and Family

19. PAST VERSUS PRESENT • Postponing marriage until later in life • Cohabitating instead of getting married • Having more children outside of marriage

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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?”

23. 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

24. 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.

25. 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