Heterosexual College Students Who Hookup with Same-Sex Partners

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Human Sexuality

Background:

• Research indicates a subset of individuals identifying as heterosexual engage in same-sex sexual behaviors.
• Understanding the motivations behind this discordance is crucial for accurate representation in sexual health and identity research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the characteristics and motivations of heterosexual-identifying undergraduate students who engaged in same-sex sexual behavior.
• To identify distinct subgroups within this population using latent class analysis.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the Online College Social Life Survey dataset (N > 24,000 undergraduate students).
• Focus on students whose last sexual hookup was with a same-sex partner (N=383 men, 312 women).
• Latent class analysis to identify distinct types of participants.

Main Results:

• Significant differences observed between heterosexual-identifying students and those identifying as homosexual, bisexual, or uncertain.
• Identified six distinct types, including sexual experimentation, performative bisexuality, and religiously influenced identities.
• A notable portion (7%) exhibited internalized heterosexism.

Conclusions:

• Heterosexual identity among individuals engaging in same-sex behavior is complex and multifaceted.
• Previous research may overlook diverse motivations by focusing on limited typologies.
• Findings highlight the need for nuanced approaches to understanding sexual identity and behavior in young adults.