Find me
The Developmental Aspects of Sexual Health Laboratory
  • Home
  • People
  • Research Projects
  • Blog
  • Publications
  • Presentations

Type of casual sex partner matters for short term outcomes

8/28/2018

0 Comments

 
Wesche, R., Claxton, S. E., Lefkowitz, E. S., & van Dulmen, M. H. M. (in press). Evaluations and future plans after casual sexual experiences: Differences across partner type. Journal of Sex Research.
 
In this paper we considered multiple types of casual sexual relationships and experiences, including casual dating, friends with benefits, and booty calls/one night stands, and whether they are associated with short-term outcomes.
 
In recent years there has been growing public concern that young adults prioritize casual sex over romantic relationships. In contrast, some scholars consider casual sexual relationships as normative and an opportunity for exploration. Prior research evidence is conflicted, with some suggesting negative outcomes of casual sex, and others suggesting no outcomes or positive outcomes. In this paper, we considered a range of casual relationships in order to tease apart associations based on the type of sexual relationship.
 
Data came from two sources: a Midwestern college sample psychology pool, and Amazon’s MTurk. We considered a range of sexual behaviors: kissing, touching oral sex, sexual intercourse, and anal sex. 
 
Young adults who had sexual experiences with a friends with benefits partner tended to have more negative evaluations of the experience, and to be less oriented toward romantic relationship plans, than young adults who had sexual experiences with casual partners. Young adults who engaged in booty calls/one night stands had less positive evaluations, more negative evaluations, and were less oriented toward romantic relationship plans than young adults who had casual partners.  Plans for future casual sexual experiences did not differ by type of partner.

There was some evidence of gender differences. Specifically, the difference in positive and negative evaluations of booty calls/one night stands compared to casual sexual partners was greater for women than for men. In addition, there were differences by type of behavior, with oral/penetrative sex associated with bigger differences by type of partner than kissing/touching.
 
Overall, findings suggest that there are differences in the short-term outcomes of varied types of casual sexual experiences. That is, it is not simply that casual sex outcomes are worse than relationship sex outcomes, but that there is variation in outcomes within different types of casual sexual partners.
 
“Type of Casual Sex Partner Matters for Short-term Outcomes first appeared on Eva Lefkowitz’s blog on August 28, 2018.”
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Eva S. Lefkowitz

    I write about professional development issues (in HDFS and other areas), and occasionally sexuality research or other work-related topics. 

    Looking for a post doc? 
    List of HDFS-relevant post docs
    Looking for a fellowship? 
    List of HDFS relevant fellowships, scholarships, and grants
    Looking for an internship?
    List of HDFS-relevant internships
    Looking for a job?
    List of places to search for HDFS-relevant jobs

    Categories

    All
    Adolescent Development
    Being A Grad Student
    Conferences
    Excel
    Gmail
    Grant Proposals
    Job Market
    Mentoring
    Midcareer
    Networking
    PowerPoint
    Publishing
    Research
    Reviewing
    Sexual Health
    Social Media
    SPSS
    Teaching
    Theses & Dissertations
    Transitions
    Undergraduate Advice
    Word
    Work/life Balance
    Writing

    Archives

    February 2022
    May 2021
    January 2021
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    October 2017
    November 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013

    Tweets by @EvaLefkowitz

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Blogs I Read

    Female Science Professor

    The Professor is in

    APA Style Blog

    Thinking About Kids

    Tenure She Wrote

    Prof Hacker

    Andrew Gelman

    Claire Kamp Dush
Proudly powered by Weebly