College Students More Accepting of Those Who Have Sex After a Party Than a Date

C. Price
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Previous research shows the amount of college students hooking up hasn’t actually risen in the past few decades, but is there prejudice against those students who do choose to hook up?

A new study found while sex after a first date is still taboo among many college students, hooking up with someone during a raucous party is seen as more acceptable.

The study was revealed this month at the annual meeting of the American Sociology Association.

Roughly 300 college students were surveyed for the report, which involved a series of open-ended questions aimed at better understanding how the age group perceives sexual behavior.

One particular question asked students to interpret the following scenario: a couple who met at a party and had sex that night later go on their first date, only to have it end with just a goodnight kiss.

Many students found nothing unusual about the scenario, explaining that sex at a party is viewed as normal or acceptable, while sex on a first date still carries certain taboos.


“Students viewed sex at a party as normal, while

sex on a first date still carries taboos.”

One in five students suggested the party atmosphere was the cause of the first encounter, where issues such as common interests or personalities are not so much at play.

Several students cited a differing goal in each setting.

For the first date, the aim is in getting to know someone better and determine compatibility, while the goal of the party is strictly having fun.

Some participants also indicated that sex on a first date would likely reflect poorly on those involved, more so for a woman.

“Our findings suggest that different behavior by the exact same people is really based on the context or the situation…not necessarily just the person, who they are, their values or their desires,” said researcher Gretchen Webber, a sociologist at Middle Tennessee State University. “It really shows the dominance of the setting for directing people’s behavior.”

Source: livescience.com. Photo source: thegrindstone.com.