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Hooking up and penetrative hookups: correlates that differentiate college men
Spencer B Olmstead1, Kay Pasley, Frank D Fincham
1Department of Child and Family Studies, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1912, USA. solmstea@utk.edu
Archives of Sexual Behavior
|February 22, 2012
Summary
College men
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Hooking up is a common pathway to sexual intimacy for college students.
- Previous research has focused on gender comparisons, neglecting male-specific factors in hookup behavior.
- Understanding male hookup dynamics is crucial for targeted interventions and research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine individual, social, relational, and family correlates of hooking up among college men.
- To identify predictors of general hookup involvement and penetrative hookup encounters in this population.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 412 college men participated in the study.
- Logistic regression analysis was used to identify significant correlates.
- Data collected on personality, alcohol consumption, relationship status, sexual attitudes, and prior hookup experience.
Main Results:
- 69% of men reported at least one hookup during the semester.
- 73% of those who hooked up engaged in penetrative encounters.
- Extraversion, alcohol consumption, and prior experience predicted hookups; relationship thoughtfulness and commitment predicted fewer hookups.
- Permissive sexual attitudes and prior penetrative experience predicted penetrative hookups.
Conclusions:
- Male hookup behavior is influenced by a combination of personality, social, and experiential factors.
- Specific factors predict general hookups versus penetrative hookups.
- Findings inform the development of tailored sexual health interventions for college men.
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