College Students’ Expectations
for Hook-Ups.
Amanda Smitley
Hanover College
Why Study This?
 Interest
in sex research
 Prominent behavior among
college students (Paul,
2000)
Definition of a Hook-up
A hook-up is a brief sexual encounter
between two people who either do not know
each other at all, who are just acquainted, or
have had a previous non-sexual relationship.
The sexual encounter may involve petting,
oral sex, and/or sexual intercourse (kissing
alone does not constitute a hook-up.
(Adjusted Paul 2006, 141)

Gender Differences in Sexual Attitudes
–
–
–
50% of both men and women agreed to
take the date
75% of men said “yes” to the sexual
invitation
Not a single woman said “yes” to sex
(Clark and Hatfield ,1989)
Who Hooks-Up More
 Men
exhibit more permissive
attitudes toward, and greater
interest in experiencing,
uncommitted sexual activity than
do women (Oliver & Hyde, 1993)
Motives for Hook-Up
–
–
–
–
47% of men -- sexual desire
29% of women -- sexual desire
9% of men -- increase in relationship probability
44% of women -- increase in relationship probability


(Regan and Dreyer,1999)
Different Experiences of Sex
–
Women traditionally have been known to link love with sex,
while men have been known to separate the two (Glass &
Wright, 1985)
Unexplored Areas
 Expectations
–
–
Motives: drive
Expectations: predictions
 Changes
–
vs. motives
after the hook-up
New dimension of hook-up research
Research Questions
What are the expectations that college
students have about hook-ups?
 How do expectations of men and
women differ?
 Do expectations about the relationship
change after a hook-up?

Hypotheses



Males will have significantly more hook-ups
than females.
Males will expect a pleasurable sexual
experience during a hook-up significantly
more than females.
Females will expect a romantic relationship
to form after the hook-up significantly more
than males.
Methods…
Participants

66 total
–
–
44 female
Ages 18-29
 M=20.48
–
42 Caucasian

Class Level
–
–
–
–
27 Freshman
14 Sophomore
11 Junior
14 Senior
Materials

Questionnaire posted on Psychological
Research On the Net (Krantz, 2008)
–
–
–
–
–
–
Informed Consent
Demographics
Hook-up history
Hook-up expectations
Changed expectations after hook-ups
Debriefing form
Demographics




Age
Sex
Class level
Ethnicity




Religious Affiliation
Greek Affiliation
Relationship Status
Sexual Orientation
Hook-Up History
(Example Questions)


Approximately, how many hook-ups
have you been involved in since
beginning college?
Of the hook-ups you have been
involved in, approximately how many
have involved alcohol or other drugs?
Hook-Up Expectations
(Example Questions)

Closed-Ended
Questions
–
–
In most of your hookups, to what extent did
you expect to have a
pleasurable sexual
experience?
In most of your hookups, to what extent did
you expect to relieve
boredom?

Open-Ended
Questions
–
–
What do you expect to
get from an ideal hookup?
What would a bad hookup look like?
Changed Expectations After Hook-ups
(Example Questions)
Have your expectations ever changed
after a hook-up?
 After a hook-up, have you kept in
contact with that person you hooked-up
with?

RESULTS
Number of Hook-ups Versus
Grade Level and Gender
Female range: 0-15
Male range: 0-25
Main Effect for Grade: F(1,3)=6.07, p<.01
10
8.6
9
8
8
7
5.63
6
6
5.5
5
Male
4
Female
4
3
2
2.7
1.88
1
0
Freshman
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Hook-Up Behaviors

33 out of 66
participants
reported drugs or
alcohol being used
during the majority
of their hook-ups.

15 participants
reported never
using any form of
STI protection
during a hook-up.
(3 men, 12 women)
Expect Pleasurable Sexual Experience
 t(64)=-.59, p=.56; Hypothesis 2 not confirmed
7
6
5
4.95
5.23
4
3
2
1
Female
Male
Expect Relationship

t(63)=.422, p=.674; Hypothesis 3 not confirmed
7
6
5
4
3
2
1.42
1.36
Female
Male
1
Expect Better Reputation
t(64)=-3.63, p<.01
7
6
5
4
2.95
3
2
1.55
1
Female
Male
Expect Popularity
t(64)=-2.48, p=.02
7
6
5
4
2.82
3
2
1.75
1
Female
Male
Expectations After the Hook-Up

27 participants (41%) -- experienced changed
expectations

39 participants (59%) -- engaged in a romantic
relationship

59 participants (89 %) -- remained in contact

44 participants (67%) -- had regrets
Discussion


There were no significant gender differences
between number of hook-ups, expectations of a
romantic relationship, or expectation of a pleasurable
hook-up.
However, there were significant gender differences
between popularity and a better reputation from
peers in regards to hook-ups.
–
Male participants viewed casual sex as a means of
enhancing their reputation among other men (Regan and
Dreyer, 1999)
Discussion

Hook-ups are common; however, not
everyone engaging in them uses safe
protection.

Not surprisingly, based on the stereotypes,
the use of alcohol is quite common; however,
as seen there were a number of hook-ups
where alcohol was not involved
Future Directions

Diversity
–
–


Only had 66 total participants and 67% were female.
Predominantly Caucasian participants
Focus more on drugs and alcohol
Compare the expectations that individuals who have
never engaged in a hook-up have in comparison to
those that have already hooked-up
Conclusion
 Some
of the participants
reported experiences of
ambivalence or mixed feelings
in regards to hook-ups.
QUESTIONS?