College students disapprove of peers who have 'too much' casual sex

 

Individuals between the ages of 15 and 24 account for nearly half of all new sexually transmitted disease (STD) infections in the U.S. each year, yet represent only 25 percent of the sexually active population. There are many possible reasons as to why rates of sexual infections are so high among this age group, and one of the biggest ones is that young people tend to have more casual sex partners than older individuals. However, according to a recent study, having a lot of casual sex in college is no longer considered the cool thing to do.

Scientists from the University of Illinois found that almost half of all college students surveyed have a negative opinion of peers who "hook up" with many partners.

"Men and women are increasingly judging each other on the same level playing field," said study author Rachel Allison. "But, gender equality and sexual liberation are not synonymous. While we've come a long way in terms of gender equality, it seems that a large portion of both college men and women lose respect for individuals who they believe participate in too frequent casual sexual activity."

The scientists surveyed more than 19,000 individuals to come to their conclusion. They found that 48 percent of individuals judge both male and female peers for having what they deem as too many sexual partners, and they judge both genders equally. However, 25 percent of men were likely to hold a traditional double standard, meaning they lose respect for women with multiple partners more readily than men.

Interestingly, students' sexual attitudes were associated with where their college was located. Students who went to West Coast schools were more liberal with their sexual views, while Midwestern students were more conservative. People from East Coast schools tended to have more moderate opinions.