Robust association between sociosexuality and self-monitoring in heterosexual and non-heterosexual Japanese

Does casual sex harm college students' well-being? A longitudinal investigation of the role of motivation

Engagement in casual sex (or hooking up) is generally feared to have negative well-being consequences; however, empirical evidence is inconclusive, pointing toward potential moderators. Using self-determination theory (SDT), we hypothesized that well-being following hookups would depend on the type and level of motivation for hooking up. A university-wide sample of 528 undergraduates completed online surveys at the beginning (T1) and end (T3) of one academic year. After controlling for demographics, personality traits (i.e., neuroticism and extraversion), prior casual and romantic sex, and T1 well-being, having genital hookups between T1 and T3 for non-autonomous reasons (i.e., due to self-imposed pressures, external contingencies and controls, or complete lack of intentionality) was linked to lower self-esteem, higher depression and anxiety, and more physical symptoms. Autonomous hookup motivation (i.e., emanating from one's self) was not linked to any outcomes. Compared to peers without hookups, those with high non-autonomy in their hookups typically had inferior well-being; this was not true of those with low non-autonomy hookups. Gender differences, implications for SDT and casual sex research, and implications for educational programs and clinical work are discussed.

Hooking up and psychological well-being in college students: short-term prospective links across different hookup definitions

Hooking up (sex outside committed, romantic relationships) is feared to result from or lead to compromised psychological well-being among undergraduates, yet longitudinal evidence is scarce and inconclusive, and different hookup definitions complicate cross-study comparisons. This study examined short-term longitudinal associations with four well-being indicators (depression, anxiety, life satisfaction, and self-esteem) across several definitions of hookups based on relationship length (one time, longer casual, and any) and physical intimacy level (kissing, genital touching, oral sex, and intercourse). A university-wide sample of 666 Northeastern U.S. freshmen and juniors (63% female, 68% White) completed online surveys at the beginning and end of one academic semester. Linear and logistic regressions explored whether hookups over the semester were linked to later well-being, and whether initial well-being was linked to later hookups. Across all 96 regressions, statistically significant associations between well-being and hookups were infrequent (23%), predominantly confined to anxiety and life satisfaction, equally likely in the direction of higher (13%) as lower (10%) well-being, and affected by both casual relationship length and intimacy level. When gender differences emerged (11%), hookups were associated with higher well-being for women and lower well-being for men. This complex set of results points to the importance of researchers' choices in hookup definitions.

Factor Analysis of a Scale to Assess State Self-Monitoring in Adolescents during Interview: A Pilot Study

Self-monitoring is the extent to which individuals regulate self-presentation for the sake of desired public appearances. Snyder developed a Self-Monitoring Scale to measure individual differences on this construct. Since the measure could be insensitive to situational influences, it is uncertain whether the short-term self-monitoring elicited by certain social interactions could be examined. The present study explored the factor structures of a state self-monitoring scale which was adapted from 10 items of the Self-Monitoring Scale. Participants took part in an individual interview with an unfamiliar authority, and then completed the State Self-Monitoring Scale. Two samples of adolescents ( N = 98 and N = 95) were tested. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis using the two samples indicated that the 9-item State Self-Monitoring Scale had two stable factors. There was a statistically significant difference on State Self-monitoring between adolescents with high and low academic achievement, supporting the validity of the scale.