Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Hooking Up and Penetrative Hookups: Correlates that Differentiate College Men

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

One prominent pathway to sexual intimacy among college student populations is hooking up. Past research has largely compared men and women, with limited attention given to how men differ regarding involvement in hookups and their hookup behaviors. This study used a sample of 412 college men to examine the individual, social, relational, and family background correlates of (1) hooking up during a semester and (2) penetrative hookup encounters (e.g., oral sex, intercourse). Overall, 69% reported a hookup during the semester, with 73% of those who hooked up reporting penetrative hookups. Using logistic regression, men were more likely to hookup if they had an extraverted personality, were consuming more alcohol, and had previous hookup experience. They were less likely to hookup if they were more thoughtful about their relationship decisions and if they were in a stable, committed romantic relationship. Men also were more likely to engage in penetrative hookups only if they held more permissive attitudes towards sex and if they had previous penetrative hookup experience. Implications for intervention and research are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acock, A. C. (2005). Working with missing values. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67, 1012–1028. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2005.00191.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen, K. R., Husser, E. K., Stone, D. J., & Jordal, C. E. (2008). Agency and error in young adults’ stories of sexual decision making. Family Relations, 57, 517–529. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3729.2008.00519x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arnett, J. J. (2004). Emerging adulthood: The winding road from the late teens through the twenties. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bancroft, J., Janssen, E., Carnes, L., Goodrich, D., Strong, D., & Long, J. S. (2004). Sexual activity and risk taking in young heterosexual men: The relevance of sexual arousability, mood, and sensation seeking. Journal of Sex Research, 41, 181–192. doi:10.1080/00224490409552226.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bersamin, M. M., Paschall, M. J., Saltz, R. F., & Zamboanga, B. L. (2011). Young adults and casual sex: The relevance of college drinking setting. Journal of Sex Research, doi:10:1080/00224499.2010.548012.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bogle, K. A. (2008). Hooking up: Sex, dating, and relationships on campus. New York: New York University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burdette, A. M., Ellison, C. G., Hill, T. D., & Glenn, N. D. (2009). “Hooking up” at college: Does religion make a difference? Journal of the Scientific Study of Religion, 48, 535–551. doi:10.1111/j.1468-5906.2009.01464.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cho, Y., & Span, S. A. (2010). The effects of alcohol on sexual risk-taking among young men and women. Addictive Behaviors, 35, 779–785. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2010.03.007.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, M. L. (2002). Alcohol use and risky sexual behavior among college students and youth: Evaluating the evidence. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 14, 101–117. Retrieved from http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/media/Journal/101-Cooper.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Demers, A., Kairouz, S., Adlaf, E. M., Gliksman, L., Newton-Taylor, B., & Marchand, A. (2002). Multi-level analysis of situational drinking among Canadian undergraduates. Social Science and Medicine, 55, 415–424. doi:10.1016/S0277-9536(01)00258-1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Downing-Matibag, T. M., & Geisinger, B. (2009). Hooking up and sexual risk taking among college students: A health belief model perspective. Qualitative Health Research, 19, 1196–1209. doi:10.1177/1049732309344206.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, M., Calzo, J. P., Smiler, A. P., & Ward, L. M. (2009). “Anything from making out to having sex”: Men’s negotiation of hooking up and friends with benefits scripts. Journal of Sex Research, 46, 414–424. doi:10.1080/00224490902775801.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fielder, R. L., & Carey, M. P. (2010a). Predictors and consequences of sexual “hookups” among college students: A short-term prospective study. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 39, 1105–1119. doi:10.1007/s10508-008-9448-4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fielder, R. L., & Carey, M. P. (2010b). Prevalence and characteristics of sexual hookups among first-semester female college students. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 36, 346–359. doi:10.1080/0092623X.2010.488118.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fincham, F. D., Stanley, S. M., & Rhoades, G. K. (2011). Relationship education in emerging adulthood: Problems and prospects. In F. D. Fincham & M. Cui (Eds.), Romantic relationships in emerging adulthood (pp. 293–316). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flack, W. F., Daubman, K. A., Caron, M. L., Asadorian, J. A., D’Aureli, N. R., Gigliotti, S. N., … Stine, E. R. (2007). Risk factors and consequences of unwanted sex among university students: Hooking up, alcohol, and stress response. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 22, 139–157. doi:10.1177/0886260506295354.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fortunato, L., Young, A. M., Boyd, C. J., & Fons, C. E. (2010). Hook-up sexual experiences and problem behaviors among adolescents. Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 19, 261–278. doi:10.1080/1067828X.2010.488965.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glenn, N., & Marquardt, E. (2001). Hooking up, hanging out, and hoping for Mr. Right: College women on dating and mating today. New York: Institute for American Values.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gosling, S. D., Rentfrow, P. J., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2003). A very brief measure of the Big-Five personality domains. Journal of Research in Personality, 37, 504–528. doi:10.1016/S0092-6566(03)000-46-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grych, J. H., Seid, M., & Fincham, F. D. (1992). Assessing conflict from the child’s perspective: The Children’s Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale. Child Development, 63, 558–572. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.1992.tb01646.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gute, G., & Eshbaugh, E. M. (2008). Personality as a predictor of hooking up among college students. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 25, 26–43. doi:10.1080/07370010701836385.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Herold, E. S., Maticka-Tyndale, E., & Mewhinney, D. (1998). Predicting intentions to engage in casual sex. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 15, 502–516. doi:10.1177/0265407598154004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, S. S., Borawski, E. A., Flocke, S. A., & Keen, K. J. (2003). The role of sequential and concurrent sexual relationships in the risk of sexually transmitted disease among adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 32, 296–305. doi:10.1016/S1054-139X(02)00710-3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, T. A., Kahn, A. S., & Apple, K. J. (2003). Pluralistic ignorance and hooking up. Journal of Sex Research, 40, 129–133. doi:10.1080/00224490309552174.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Levinson, R. A., Jaccard, J., & Beamer, L. (1995). Older adolescents’ engagement in casual sex: Impact of risk perception and psychosocial motivations. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 24, 349–364. doi:10.1007/BF01537601.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manning, W. D., Giordano, P. C., & Longmore, M. A. (2006). Hooking up: The relationship contexts of “nonrelationship” sex. Journal of Adolescent Research, 21, 459–483. doi:10.1177/0743558406291692.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manning, W. D., Longmore, M. A., & Giordano, P. C. (2005). Adolescents’ involvement in non-romantic sexual activity. Social Science Research, 34, 384–407. doi:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2004.03.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maticka-Tyndale, E., Herold, E. S., & Mewhinney, D. (1998). Casual sex on spring break: Intentions and behaviors of Canadian students. Journal of Sex Research, 35, 254–264. doi:10.1080/00224499809551941.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Owen, J., & Fincham, F. D. (2011). Effects of gender and psychosocial factors on “friends with benefits” relationships among young adults. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 40, 311–320. doi:10.1007/s10508-010-9611-6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Owen, J., Fincham, F. D., & Moore, J. (2011). Short-term prospective study of hooking up among college students. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 40, 331–341. doi:10.1007/s10508-010-9697-x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Owen, J., Rhoades, G. K., Stanley, S. M., & Fincham, F. F. (2010). “Hooking up” among college students: Demographic and psychosocial correlates. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 39, 653–663. doi:10.1007/s10508-008-9414-1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paul, E. L., & Hayes, K. A. (2002). The casualties of ‘casual sex’: A qualitative exploration of the phenomenology of college students’ hookups. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 19, 639–661. doi:10.1177/0265407502195006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paul, E. L., McManus, B., & Hayes, A. (2000). “Hookups”: Characteristics and correlates of college students’ spontaneous and anonymous sexual experience. Journal of Sex Research, 37, 76–88. doi:10.1080/00224490009552023.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson, M., Stanley, S. M., & Kline, G. H. (2005). Within my reach. Greenwood, CO: PREP for Individuals Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Penhollow, T., Young, M., & Bailey, W. (2007). Relationship between religiosity and “hooking up” behavior. American Journal of Health Education, 38, 338–345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, J. L., & Hyde, J. S. (2010). A meta-analytic review of research on gender differences in sexuality, 1993–2007. Psychological Bulletin, 136, 21–38. doi:10.1037/a0017504.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saunders, J. B., Aasland, O. G., Babor, T. F., de la Fuente, J. R., & Grant, M. (1993). Development of the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT): WHO collaborative project on early detection of persons with harmful alcohol consumption-II. Addiction, 88, 791–804. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.1993.tb02093.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, J. A., & Gangestad, S. W. (1991). Individual differences in sociosexuality: Evidence for convergent and discriminant validity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 870–883. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.60.6.870.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, S. M., Rhoades, G. K., & Markman, H. J. (2006). Sliding versus deciding: Inertia and the premarital cohabitation effect. Family Relations, 55, 499–509. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3729.2006.00418.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stinson, R. D. (2010). Hooking up in young adulthood: A review of factors influencing the sexual behavior of college students. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 24, 98–115. doi:10.1080/87568220903558596.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strahan, R., & Gerbasi, K. C. (1972). Short, homogeneous versions of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 28, 191–193. doi:10.1002/1097-4679.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child and Family Studies, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-1912, USA

    Spencer B. Olmstead

  2. Department of Family and Child Sciences, College of Human Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA

    Kay Pasley

  3. The Family Institute, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA

    Frank D. Fincham

Authors
  1. Spencer B. Olmstead
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kay Pasley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Frank D. Fincham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Spencer B. Olmstead.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Olmstead, S.B., Pasley, K. & Fincham, F.D. Hooking Up and Penetrative Hookups: Correlates that Differentiate College Men. Arch Sex Behav 42, 573–583 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-012-9907-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-012-9907-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation