Casual Contraception in Casual Sex: Life-Cycle Change in Undergraduates’ Sexual Behavior in Hookups

Abstract

This article describes life-cycle change in the sexual behavior of undergraduates in “hookups” (which are outside traditional dates or relationships) during years 1–4 of college, explains a decline in the use of condoms, and shows how changes in the odds of coitus and condom use depend on family background, school gender imbalance, and whether the partners attend the same college. Coitus becomes increasingly likely as students progress through college. Condom-use rates, in contrast, decline precipitously between the freshman and sophomore years, before stabilizing. This rapid normalization of unprotected sex in hookups arises as students adapt to a high-education culture. Condom-use rates in the freshman year are lowest among students who have the most highly educated mothers. After the freshman year, students with lower-educated mothers converge to the same lower rate. This decline is pronounced when the partners attend the same college. Implications for health and social policy are discussed.