Sexual attitudes shown by students of the University of Houston

Date

1972

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Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to gain Information applicable to the single student population 18 through 23 years of age, of the University of Houston, in the area of changing moral norms, and to help determine if background variables which had been found to be related to various sexual attitudes are still significant. Subjects were 420 University of Houston students enrolled in sections of Political Science and History during the Summer of 1971. The questionnaire administered included questions concerning a wide variety of sexual attitudes and standards. Males were found to be more permissive than females. Older students were more permissive than younger students. Open discussion of sex was said to have taken place in approximately one third of the families represented in the sample. Approximately half of the sample (especially females) indicated that their attitudes had become more liberal, while the other half, that they had not changed. Permissiveness of the college students varied with the situation: 37.5 percent of the sample condoned sexual intercourse for couples who had been dating steadily for several months, 18.6 percent condoned intercourse for casual aoquaintanoes; 67.5 percent condoned intercourse for engaged couples; 47.3 percent condoned intercourse for couples idio have a 'meaningful love relationship.' Extra-marital relations were condoned by 22.8 percent of the males, but only 4.3 percent of the females. Most of the sample (90.7 percent) felt that the use of 'the Pill' should not be limited to married nomen. Only 28.8 percent of the males and 35.3 percent of the females felt that a man would want a wife who had had no sexual experience. The sex of the student responding was not a significant variable. A still lower 15.2 percent of the males and 14.0 percent of the females felt that a woman would want a husband with no previous sexual experience. Almost all of the students (95.7 percent) felt that one's personal oonsdenoe should be one's guide in matters of sexual morality. Females placed more faith in the conscience than did males. About three fourths (75.4 percent) of the sample felt that the University's Medical Services should provide 'pills' or other contraceptive devices to students who request them. Most of the sample (80.4 percent of the females, and 69.0 percent of the males) felt that a child should learn about sex at home, rather than at school, or from friends. A strong 81.9 percent of the saaple agreed that 'The openness and frequency of sexual activity should be accepted as an expression of a perfectly natural and human need.' Only 14.3 percent of the sample accepted 'any premarital sexual intercourse as a definition for 'promtscuity;' 44.4 percent accepted 'having sex with two or more partners with a few weeks;' 62.7 percent accepted 'having any date end up in bed;' and 23.2 percent accepted none of these definitions for 'promiscuity.' Most of the students (79.7 percent) felt that any young wonan of college age should be entitled to an inexpensive legal abortion. Approxinately 65 percent of the sample felt that trial marriage would not necessarily contribute to better marital adjustment. The younger members of the sample Indicated with greater frequency that sex was openly discussed in their homes. The older students were generally more sexually permissive in the attitudes indicated by their responses, than were younger students. The older students of the sample were more likely to indicate that their sexual attitudes had become more liberal since attending college. A major tendency was for students from tolerant families to be tolerant, and for students from intolerant families to be intolerant. An underlying tendency was for students idio reported open discussion of 'sex' in the family to agree more frequently with the reported attitudes of their parents.

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Keywords

College students, Sexual behavior

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