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An Exploration of Hookup Culture, Alcohol Use, and Sexual Health among College Students

Wineland, Courtney A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1525816225787974

Abstract Details

2018, Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, Psychology.
Sexual behavior is a common occurrence among the college students and is referred to as the hookup culture. The current study explored the hookup culture using two different university samples and designs: Study 1 (N = 198) examined overall frequency of hookup behavior, alcohol use patterns, differences in personal and perceived peer normative attitudes about aspects of hookup culture, and Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) knowledge using self-report data. Study 2 (N = 208) used vignettes to experimentally examine hookup approval and perceptions of safe sex practice likelihood in the presence/absence of alcohol and different partner type (familiar partner/ stranger). Results from Study 1 found that 82.8% of participants reported at least one or more hookups in the past 6 months, with the majority of encounters being between familiar partners. Robust differences emerged between personal and perceived peer attitudes, such that participants held significantly less favorable attitudes than they perceived their peers to hold. This was true for both men and women. These results indicate students harbor distorted perceptions of social norms about the hookup culture. Use of some safe sex practices was higher than expected; knowledge about STIs was very low. Study 2 found, contrary to predictions, that participants were less approving of a hookup when alcohol was involved. No differences in approval emerged for partner type. Students perceived significantly less likelihood of hookup partners practicing safe sex if alcohol was involved. College campus efforts to address hookup culture may benefit from social norms campaigns sharing students’ “real” view of the hookup culture by highlighting differences between perceived peer attitudes and personal attitudes.
Susan Kenford, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Kathleen Hart, Ph.D., ABPP (Committee Member)
Tammy Sonnentag, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
76 p.
Behavioral Psychology; Behavioral Sciences; Gender; Health; Health Sciences; Mental Health; Psychology; Public Health; Social Psychology; Social Research
Hookup; hookup culture; sexual health; alcohol use; college students; safe sex practices; gender differences; hookup approval; social norms; STI; partner type; perceived norms; hookup attitudes; STD; binge drinking

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Wineland, C. A. (2018). An Exploration of Hookup Culture, Alcohol Use, and Sexual Health among College Students [Doctoral dissertation, Xavier University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1525816225787974

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Wineland, Courtney. An Exploration of Hookup Culture, Alcohol Use, and Sexual Health among College Students. 2018. Xavier University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1525816225787974.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Wineland, Courtney. "An Exploration of Hookup Culture, Alcohol Use, and Sexual Health among College Students." Doctoral dissertation, Xavier University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1525816225787974

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

xavier1525816225787974
344
© 2018, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Xavier University Psychology and OhioLINK.