College students more interested in noncommittal sex than relationships

As part of its College Health and Safety recommendations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that students regularly visit sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing centers to ensure they do not have a sexually transmitted infection. This is particularly important for students who are having sex with multiple partners, which seems to be more commonplace as students continue to shy away from relationships in favor of commitment-free sex.

According to researchers from Binghamton University and The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction at Indiana University, between 60 and 80 percent of college students have engaged in some sort of sexual encounter that can be defined as part of the "hook up" culture, which seems to be largely based on the concept of noncommittal sex.

The team of scientists included an evolutionary biologist, an anthropologist, a social psychologist and a developmental psychologist, all of whom reviewed studies in their field that examined the college sexual culture. They determined that things have drastically changed throughout the past few decades and that the current college-aged demographic remains more interested in non-committal sex than a relationship.

While most of the students involved in these studies are adults who are free to do as they choose, it's important that these individuals remain responsible and practice safer sex.

"We neither condemn nor condone any consensual sexual activity," said Justin R. Garcia, a research fellow at The Kinsey Institute. "But we do endorse the need for emerging adults to be aware of, and honestly communicate, their own intentions, desires, and the comfort levels of themselves and of their partner(s) during engagement in sexual activity."

Students should remember that condoms are the only contraceptive that can help protect against both unplanned pregnancy and STDs.