A Two Dimension Approach to Understanding Negative and Positive Affective Reactions to First Coitus

Abstract

To gain a better understanding of the dynamics surrounding the initial coital experience of young women and men, this study examined gender differences in affective reactions to first coitus through a two dimension approach (i.e., positive and negative affect) using subscales of the First Coital Affective Reaction Scale. The sample population consisted of 266 university students (women n = 163; men n = 103). T tests, χ2 tests, and regression analyses were used to evaluate the study’s three hypotheses. The findings indicated: (1) a greater percentage of women than men experienced first coitus at an age younger than they perceived to be culturally acceptable for their gender (i.e., perceived norm-behavior discrepancy-PNBD), (2) among women, a positive relationship was found between PNBD and negative affect, and (3) positive affective reactions to first coitus were associated with circumstances surrounding the event and not cultural/societal sex norms. A salient finding of this study was that negative and positive affective reactions to initial coitus can be experienced simultaneously with each dimension of affect responding to different factors. Specifically, negative affect was influenced by a somewhat distant influence of perceived cultural/societal sex norms while positive affect was influenced by the immediate circumstances surrounding the event.