By Amy Norton
HealthDay reporter
TUESDAY, March 30, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Despite being the dating apps generation, young adults are largely saying no to casual sex, and less alcohol and more video games are two reasons why it is, according to a new study.
Surveys over the past few years have shown that today’s young adults are not as keen to join as compared to previous generations.
The new study is no exception: it found that between 2007 and 2017, the number of 18- to 23-year-old Americans with occasional sex decreased. 24% of men said they joined in the past month, up from 38% a decade ago. For women, this number fell from 31% to 22%.
The question is why, said study author Lei Lei, an assistant professor of sociology at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ
She and her colleague Scott South at Albany University in New York discovered some clues. In young women, a concomitant reduction in alcohol consumption appeared to explain part of the decline in casual sex.
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That was a key factor with young men too. But two other trends also appeared to be affecting their sexual activity: online gaming and living at home with their parents.
Lei said the results might come as a surprise to some people.
“With the proliferation of dating apps, one could expect an increase in casual sex,” she said. “But you have to consider other factors as well.”
Alcohol can make sexual encounters more likely, so it makes sense that the decline in alcohol consumption was a factor in declining rates of casual sex, Lei said.
Men saw 33% of the drop in connections and women saw a quarter, the results showed.
What was surprising, Lei said, was the fact that no additional explanations came up for young women.
That was in contrast to young men. At least to some, online video games seemed more enticing than sex: an increase in gambling explained 25% of the overall decline in casual sex among young men.
Living with their parents, meanwhile, has caused some men’s-style cramp. This trend explained about 10% of the decline in casual sex.
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Joseph Palamar is an Associate Professor of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City.
He agreed that the paired declines in drinking and casual sex came as no surprise.
“Alcohol is the primary social lubricant that is used not only to meet partners but also to relax before possible sexual interaction,” Palamar said.
However, the results raise a broader question: do all of these trends – less drinking, less casual sex, more video games – reflect an overall deterioration in social life among young people?
If they venture into the world less often than previous generations, the decline in casual sex might just be a manifestation, Lei said.
Today, Palamar said, “stimulation can be obtained with a heartbeat from your device that is right at your fingertips. Suddenly, sex may not be as interesting as a video or game. Suddenly, alcohol and other drugs may be not so interesting anymore. ” , either. “
That’s not to say that devices and social media are the only culprits. In this study, for example, investigators found no evidence that time spent online explains part of the decline in casual sex among young women.
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And Palamar pointed to another social change: today’s young people are generally less under pressure to find a soulmate and marry.
“Now it’s socially acceptable to just be single and sit at home and do your thing,” he said.
Much more research is needed to understand all of these trends. Lei said that when young people are socializing less, at least face-to-face, it is important to understand why and what the consequences may be.
According to Lei, even when it comes to casual sex, it is difficult to define the decline as “good” or “bad”.
On the one hand, this could mean fewer unplanned pregnancies and a lower risk of sexually transmitted diseases. On the other hand, some young people find unconditional sex a positive experience and part of their social development. In some cases, Lei said, these encounters can serve as a “process” for a longer-term relationship.
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The findings, recently published in the journal Socius, are based on surveys of around 2,000 young adults.
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Since the end of the study period in 2017, Lei said, it has not been clear how recent social changes – from the pandemic to the “Me Too” movement – could affect the sex lives of young adults.
More information
Youth.gov has more about the transition into adulthood.
SOURCES: Lei Lei, PhD, Assistant Professor, Sociology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ; Joseph Palamar, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor, Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and Associate Researcher, Center for Drug Use and HIV / HCV Research, NYU School of Global Public Health, New York City; Socius, March 1, 2021, online
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