Suchergebnisse

Axiomatic theory construction was used in this study to analyze the likelihood of participation in premarital sexual intercourse by college women. The sample consisted of 754 never‐married female students enrolled in a midwestern, residential university who responded to a sexual attitudes and behavior survey. Forty‐eight empirical propositions concerning premarital sexual intercourse were tested, nineteen of which were found to be statistically significant. Three derived propositions were reformulated from these findings, which in turn were utilized to develop two middle‐range theories: commitment theory and cultural milieu theory. These theories clearly demonstrate the role of changing personal and societal attitudes toward sexuality and perceived partner commitment in the decision to become sexually active.

As individuals begin to engage in sexual activities, they must contend with the interaction of their current behaviors with any prior learning related to sexual guilt. While guilt feelings associated with participation in masturbation, petting, and sexual intercourse have decreased in recent years, especially among females, few studies have considered the role of guilt in sexual satisfaction among adolescent/young adults. In order to examine the relationship of guilt to psychological and physiological sexual satisfaction, a survey research design was employed utilizing the responses of coitally active male and female never‐married students from a state university. Findings indicate that feelings of guilt about various sexual activities do affect sexual satisfaction with differential influences for males and females.