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Why are fewer young adults having casual sex?

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Re: Why are fewer young adults having casual sex?

#61

Post by watwut »

wittyreference wrote: post #23
estsauver wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The study did examine economic difficulty. "The authors find no evidence that trends in young adults’ economic circumstances, internet use, or television watching explain the recent decline in casual sexual activity."

If they find no relationship between changing economic circumstances and the outcome, and but a positive relationship between likelihood of co-residence with parents and the outcome, the likelihood that they have made statistical blunders greatly outweighs the likelihood that changing economic circumstances do not play a role.

Or, maybe poor people have about as much sex as rich ones when both live with parents.

Re: Why are fewer young adults having casual sex?

#62

Post by temp0826 »

nlbrown wrote: post #6
blakesterz wrote: post #2

The answers, from the abstract seem to be "young people" are living at home more, drinking less and gaming more than they used to. "Among young women, the decline in the frequency of drinking alcohol explains about one quarter of the drop in the propensity to have casual sex. Among young men, declines in drinking frequency, an increase in computer gaming, and the growing percentage who coreside with their parents all…

I'm quite surprised to see that the leading theories in many of these studies revolve around competing forms of entertainment. I'm personally more concerned with how economic difficulty, mental health, and hormonal imbalances could be causing these sort of changes in society.

There’s a joke here in South America when you see a family walking around with many children....”no television”

Re: Why are fewer young adults having casual sex?

#63

Post by mywittyname »

nlbrown wrote: post #6
blakesterz wrote: post #2

The answers, from the abstract seem to be "young people" are living at home more, drinking less and gaming more than they used to. "Among young women, the decline in the frequency of drinking alcohol explains about one quarter of the drop in the propensity to have casual sex. Among young men, declines in drinking frequency, an increase in computer gaming, and the growing percentage who coreside with their parents all…

I'm quite surprised to see that the leading theories in many of these studies revolve around competing forms of entertainment. I'm personally more concerned with how economic difficulty, mental health, and hormonal imbalances could be causing these sort of changes in society.

Boredom leads to sex. From that, it stands to reason that less boredom leads to less sex. And entertainment is a way to reduce boredom.

Re: Why are fewer young adults having casual sex?

#64

Post by Armisael16 »

wittyreference wrote: post #23
estsauver wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The study did examine economic difficulty. "The authors find no evidence that trends in young adults’ economic circumstances, internet use, or television watching explain the recent decline in casual sexual activity."

If they find no relationship between changing economic circumstances and the outcome, and but a positive relationship between likelihood of co-residence with parents and the outcome, the likelihood that they have made statistical blunders greatly outweighs the likelihood that changing economic circumstances do not play a role.

When looking at any one variable they’re controlling for the others.

Re: Why are fewer young adults having casual sex?

#65

Post by metalliqaz »

bpodgursky wrote: post #41
ceilingcorner wrote: post #22

No mention of any cultural shifts or changing attitudes, as if young people having casual sex was just the natural state of civilization and not something that became celebrated and artificially encouraged via the media in the last half-century. Tinder and other online dating options are pretty bleak and inherently extractive in nature, so I find it equally plausible that many young people are simply turned off from…

Young people having casual sex is the natural state of not just civilization, but the entire human species.

It amuses me when people wax poetic about a time long past, when people were chaste and pure. Ha! Hormones be hormones, and young people have been doing what they do for as long as there have been young people.

Re: Why are fewer young adults having casual sex?

#66

Post by steve_adams_86 »

ars wrote: post #15

Historically causal sex was rare, and it could be that the recent increase in this was an aberration, and people are just going back to the way it used to be done. This line: "On the other hand, sexual inactivity may hinder young adults’ psychosocial development and diminish their physical and emotional gratification (Julian 2018)." is just bizzare. People have done without casual sex for most of human history, I thi…

Is there hard evidence that casual sex has been rare for all of human history?

I know some cultures discourage it and some religions forbid it, but I also know that human beings love to have sex regardless of what’s good or reasonable or sensible. It’s hard to imagine us not doing it, if only hiding it better when society demands it.

Re: Why are fewer young adults having casual sex?

#67

Post by metalliqaz »

ceilingcorner wrote: post #50
bpodgursky wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Young people having casual sex is the natural state of not just civilization, but the entire human species.

No, not really. The modern western form of treating sex primarily as an entertainment activity is very much a new thing. Previously we had marriage and other cultural practices that aimed to channel these forces in productive directions. Now we just have PornHub and Tinder.

And certainly there was no such thing as backroom abortions, bastard sons, and the world's oldest profession, right?

Re: Why are fewer young adults having casual sex?

#68

Post by ceilingcorner »

marton78 wrote: post #55
ceilingcorner wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is old wisdom, perpetually forgotten, recently remembered anew.

Therefore, not perpetually forgotten.

Let’s say it’s frequently buried by one generation and subsequently dug up by another one, decades later.

Re: Why are fewer young adults having casual sex?

#70

Post by Liquix »

wittyreference wrote: post #23
estsauver wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The study did examine economic difficulty. "The authors find no evidence that trends in young adults’ economic circumstances, internet use, or television watching explain the recent decline in casual sexual activity."

If they find no relationship between changing economic circumstances and the outcome, and but a positive relationship between likelihood of co-residence with parents and the outcome, the likelihood that they have made statistical blunders greatly outweighs the likelihood that changing economic circumstances do not play a role.

Great point. A percentage of those playing video games in their parents' basement would gladly be out traveling Europe or learning social skills at a state college - they just can't afford it.
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