Masculinities and Hooking Up: Sexual Decision-Making at College

Exploring the Influence of Hookup Culture on Female and Male Rape Myths

The present study systematically assesses the influence of hookup culture endorsement on the acceptance of female rape myths (i.e., false, stereotypical, or prejudicial beliefs regarding sexual assault involving female survivors) and male rape myths (i.e., false, stereotypical, or prejudicial beliefs about sexual assault involving male survivors). Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to assess the primary hypotheses that a particular form of hookup culture endorsement (i.e., the belief that hookups elevate an individual's social status) would act as the primary predictor of male and female rape myth acceptance among a sample of 376 U.S. college students. As with prior research, a complex relationship emerged for both male and female rape mythology in which acceptance increases or decreases based upon the form of hookup culture endorsement examined, as the endorsement of beliefs reflecting heterosexual power dynamics (e.g., harmlessness and status attainment) functioned as positive predictors of rape myth acceptance, while beliefs challenging such assumptions (e.g., sexual freedom) served to decrease rape myth acceptance. Results supported the primary hypotheses that beliefs concerning hookups and status attainment would be the largest predictor of male rape myth acceptance and female rape myth acceptance. Consistent with prior research, the predictive power of gender and religiosity was initially significant across both male and female rape myth acceptance yet diminished when controlling for levels of hookup culture endorsement. Furthermore, analyses indicated gender differences among the influences of hookup culture endorsement for female rape myth acceptance alone, as even though beliefs concerning status served as an aggravating factor for female rape myth acceptance, beliefs concerning sexual freedom served as a mitigating factor for women only.

Growing Up, Hooking Up, and Drinking: A Review of Uncommitted Sexual Behavior and Its Association With Alcohol Use and Related Consequences Among Adolescents and Young Adults in the United States

Hookups are uncommitted sexual encounters that range from kissing to intercourse and occur between individuals in whom there is no current dating relationship and no expressed or acknowledged expectations of a relationship following the hookup. Research over the last decade has begun to focus on hooking up among adolescents and young adults with significant research demonstrating how alcohol is often involved in hooking up. Given alcohol’s involvement with hooking up behavior, the array of health consequences associated with this relationship, as well as its increasing prevalence from adolescence to young adulthood, it is important to determine the predictors and consequences associated with alcohol-related hooking up. The current review extends prior reviews by adding more recent research, including both qualitative and experimental studies (i.e., expanding to review more diverse methods), research that focuses on the use of technology in alcohol-related hookups (i.e., emerging issues), further develops prevention and intervention potentials and directions, and also offers a broader discussion of hooking up outside of college student populations (i.e., expanding generalization). This article will review the operationalization and ambiguity of the phrase hooking up, the relationship between hooking up and alcohol use at both the global and event levels, predictors of alcohol-related hooking up, and both positive and negative consequences, including sexual victimization, associated with alcohol-related hookups. Throughout, commentary is provided on the methodological issues present in the field, as well as limitations of the existing research. Future directions for research that could significantly advance our understanding of hookups and alcohol use are provided.

A metasynthesis of qualitative studies on casual sexual relationships and experiences

Most studies on casual sexual relationships and experiences (CSREs) are quantitative and focus on characteristics of individuals who experience them. There has been an increase in qualitative research on CSREs that have revealed new insights into how they are experienced among young adults. To synthesize qualitative knowledge on how CSREs are experienced, a qualitative metasynthesis was carried out using 13 studies published up to June, 2015, yielding seven conceptual categories. Opportunities and choices regarding CSREs were organized according to biographical context, socioenvironmental context, and peer norms. Expectations of CSREs related to lack of communication, emotional, and sexual commitment or accountability. Implicit rules allowed maintaining boundaries between sex and emotion. Thus, CSREs can satisfy various needs related to sex and intimacy. Sex in CSREs was reported as pleasure-centred, accessible, and improved when experienced in association with intimacy. However, intimacy and gender roles interfered with condom use. The sexual double standard and gender roles limited women's agency and enjoyment of sex. Expectations for the lack of intimacy and communication conflicted with developing unrequited feelings, resulting in self-blame and attempts to suppress emotions. While partners may have a hard time defining their relationship over time, some CSREs involved developing friendships or romance, and ruining friendships. The results indicate a clash between expectations, rules, and experiences of CSREs. The lack of symbolic markers for the meaning or status of CSREs as they develop can be seen as a consequence of the complexity of these relationships.