Skip to main content
Log in

Premarital sexual careers and partner change

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

Abstract

Attitudes toward premarital sexual behavior, lifetime prevalence of sexual activity, and the variation in exposure to sexual intercourse is described. The main focus is on the number of sex partners and the social context of partner change. The variation by social and demographic characteristics in the number of sex partners is analyzed. Despite considerable variation in partner change behavior among the women, the relative pervasiveness of this behavior across social and demographic categories is notable. The influence of the exposure variables stand out. The number of sex partners steadily increases with increasing length of exposure.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Chilman, C. S. (1980).Adolescent Pregnancy and Childbearing: Findings From Research, DHEW Publication No. (NIH) 81-2077, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crosbie, P. V., and Bitte, D. (1982). A test of Luker's theory of contraceptive risk taking.Stud. Fam. Plann. 13: 67–78.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gagnon, J. H. (1989). Sexuality across the life course. In Turner, C. F., Miller, H. G., and Moses, L. E. (eds.),AIDS, Sexual Behavior and Intravenous Drug Use National Academy Press, Washington, DC, pp. 500–537.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guinan, M. E., and Hardy, A. (1987). Epidemiology of AIDS in women in the United States: 1981 through 1986.J. Am. Med. Assoc. 257: 2039–2042.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herzog, A. R., and Bachman, J. (1982).Sex Role Attitudes Among High School Seniors Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofferth, S. L., Kahn, J. R. and Baldwin, W. (1987). Premarital sexual activity among U.S. teenage women over the past three decades.Fam. Plann. Perspect. 19(2): 46–53.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klassen, A. D., Williams, C. J., Levitt, E. E., Rudkin Miniot, L., Miller, H. G., and Gunjal, S. (1989). Trends in premarital sexual behavior. In Turner, C. F., Miller, H. G., and Moses, L. E. (eds.),AIDS, Sexual Behavior and Intravenous Drug Use National Academy Press, Washington, DC, pp. 548–567.

    Google Scholar 

  • May, R. M., and Anderson, R. M. (1987). Transmission dynamics of HIV infection.Nature 326: 127–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). (1987a).An Introduction to Sexually Transmitted Diseases, NIH Publication NO. 87-909A, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). (1987b).Chlamydial Infections, NIH Publication NO. 87-909B, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council. (1987a).Risking the Future: Adolescent Sexuality, Pregnancy and Childbearing, Vol. 1 Hayes, C. D. (ed.), National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council. (1987b).Risking the Future: Adolescent Sexuality, Pregnancy and Childbearing, Vol. 2 Hofferth, S. L., and Hayes, C. D. (eds.), National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perlman, D. (1974). Self-esteem and sexual permissiveness.J. Marr. Fam. 36: 470–473.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pratt, W. F. (1990). Premarital sexual behavior, multiple partners, and marital experience. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Population Association of America, May 2–4, Toronto, Canada.

  • Pratt, W. F., Mosher, W. D., Bachrach, C. A., and Horn, M. C. (1984). Understanding U.S. Fertility: Findings from the National Survey of Family Growth, Cycle III.Population Bull. 39(5).

  • Rosenberg, M. (1965).Society and the Adolescent Self-Image Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotter, J. B. (1966).Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychol. Monogr. 80(1, whole No. 609).

  • Stein, P. J. (1983). Singlehood. In Macklin, E. D., and Rubin, R. H. (eds.),Contemporary Families and Alternate Lifestyles Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, CA, pp. 27–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tanfer, K. (1987). Patterns of premarital cohabitation among never married women in the U.S.J. Marr. Fam. 49: 483–497.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tanfer, K., and Horn, M. C. (1985). Contraceptive use, pregnancy and fertility patterns among single American women in their twenties.Fam. Plann. Perspect. 17(1): 10–19.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Turner, C. F., Miller, H. G., and Moses, L. E. (eds.). (1989).AIDS, Sexual Behavior and Intravenous Drug Use National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zelnik, M. (1983). Sexual activity among adolescents: Perspective of a decade. In McAnarney, E. R. (ed.),Premature Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenthood Grune & Stratton, New York: pp. 21–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zelnik, M., Kantner, J. F., and Ford, K. (1981).Sex and Pregnancy in Adolescence Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, CA.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This research was supported in part by a grant from NICHD (No. HD-165680).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tanfer, K., Schoorl, J.J. Premarital sexual careers and partner change. Arch Sex Behav 21, 45–68 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542716

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542716

Key words

Navigation