A Fertile Ground for Ambiguities: Casual Sexual Relationships Among Portuguese Emerging Adults.

Rita Luz,Cicero R Pereira,Cristina A Godinho,Maria-João Alvarez

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.823102

Abstract

Casual sexual relationships (CSRs) are frequent relationship experiences in young adulthood that provide opportunities for many to explore sexual relationships and to construct their sexual identity. Empirical research on casual sex is still lacking outside North-American countries, despite evidence pointing to the need to contextualize sexual interactions in their own sociocultural context. In order to better understand casual sexual relationships, these should be examined in with novel samples in other countries where a “hookup culture” as it is described in the North-American university campus is apparently absent. Through a qualitative study, we explored what casual sexual relationships consist of according to the perceptions of Portuguese college students (N = 35). The thematic analysis of eight focus group interviews resulted in the generation of six themes, three of which are presented here: (1) What CSRs are, regarding features and types of CSRs, (2) Why individuals engage in CSRs, focusing on positive and negative motivations, and (3) What one gets from CSRs, focusing on positive and negative outcomes of CSRs. Our findings showed that Portuguese emerging adults are familiarized with CSRs, particularly with one-night stand, friends with benefits and “curte”/hookup. Sexual interactions associated with other CSRs, such as booty call or fuck buddies, were mentioned but rarely associated with a distinctive label and established characteristics. Participants described the CSRs in a partially overlapping manner presenting some areas of ambiguity, such as with regard to sexual exclusivity and still-unlabeled sexual interactions. CSRs are generally evaluated as positively motivated and mainly beneficial. This study adds to the literature around casual sexual relationships by exploring and describing CSRs in a different sociocultural context, as well as indicating directions for future research in order to better prepare and empower young adults in their sexual and relational trajectories.

Highlights

Over the past two decades, researchers have been investigating casual sexual relationships (CSRs), as these are increasingly frequent and openly discussed, especially among college students (e.g., Garcia et al, 2012)
The findings reported here focus on three of these themes: What CSRs are, which relates to the characterization of CSRs, Why individuals engage in CSRs, focusing the positive and negative motivations to engage in CSRs, and What one gets from CSRs, focusing on positive and negative outcomes of CSRs
This study contributes to a deeper understanding of casual sexual relationships in a different sociocultural context than those previously reported in the literature

Summary

Introduction

Over the past two decades, researchers have been investigating casual sexual relationships (CSRs), as these are increasingly frequent and openly discussed, especially among college students (e.g., Garcia et al, 2012). Enabled by social changes bringing the dissolution of sexual prohibitions and acceptance of new contexts for pursuing intimate and sexual relationships (e.g., Conley et al, 2013), CSRs are a way for a number of individuals to try out various types of relationships and forms of sexual involvement while maintaining the focus on their academic or professional goals (Hamilton and Armstrong, 2009). For those who prefer casual over committed sexual relationships, CSRs proved to be a significant source of affection, providing the physiological and emotional benefits of intimacy associated with sexual activity (Garcia et al, 2018)

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