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Updated: Jul 28, 2026
06:48
The HoneyComb Paradigm for Research on Collective Human Behavior
Published on: January 19, 2019
The collectivity of sexual behaviour
D A Cohen1, T A Farley, K Mason
1RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA 90405, USA. dcohen@rand.org
International Journal of STD & AIDS
|March 3, 2006
Summary
Sexual behavior may be a collective phenomenon. A study found that average sexual activity levels correlate with the proportion of individuals with high numbers of lifetime partners, suggesting population-wide interventions may be effective.
Area of Science:
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Human behavior, including health-related actions, can be influenced by group dynamics and collective phenomena.
- Previous research has identified collective patterns in behaviors such as alcohol consumption, obesity, and mental illness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether sexual behavior exhibits characteristics of a collectively determined phenomenon.
- To explore the relationship between average sexual activity and the prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors within a population.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted across 45 states in the United States.
- Data analyzed the association between the mean number of lifetime sexual partners and the proportion of individuals reporting a high number of lifetime partners (>10, >20, >40) among men and women.
Main Results:
- A strong association was observed between the mean number of lifetime sexual partners and the proportion of individuals with >10, >20, and >40 lifetime partners for both men and women.
- These findings suggest that sexual behavior may operate as a collectively determined behavior.
Conclusions:
- Sexual activity may be influenced by group norms and collective behavior patterns.
- Interventions aimed at reducing high-risk sexual behaviors, such as those related to HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), could be more effective if implemented broadly across the entire population rather than focusing solely on high-risk individuals.
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