Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

366 Chapter 
11 
Sexuality and Gender
As recently as the 1960s, the majority of adult Americans believed that pre-
marital sex was always wrong. But there has been a dramatic change in public opin-
ion since then. For example, as you can see in Figure 2, the percentage of middle-age 
people who say sex before marriage is “not wrong at all” has increased considerably, 
and overall 60% of Americans say premarital sex is okay. More than half say that 
living together before marriage is morally acceptable (Thornton & Young-DeMarco, 
2001; Harding & Jencks, 2003). 
Changes in attitudes toward premarital sex were matched by changes in actual 
rates of premarital sexual activity. For instance, the most recent fi gures show that just 
more than one-half of women between the ages of 15 and 19 have had premarital 
sexual intercourse. These fi gures are close to double the number of women in the 
same age range who reported having intercourse in 1970. Clearly, the trend over the 
last several decades has been toward more women engaging in premarital sexual 
activity (Jones, Darroch, & Singh, 2005). 
Males, too, have shown an increase in the incidence of premarital sexual inter-
course, although the increase has not been as dramatic as it has been for females—
probably because the rates for males were higher to begin with. For instance, the fi rst 
surveys of premarital intercourse carried out in the 1940s showed an incidence of 
84% across males of all ages; recent fi gures are closer to 95%. Moreover, the average 
age of males’ fi rst sexual experience has been declining steadily. Almost half of males 
have had sexual intercourse by the age of 18; by the time they reach age 20, 88% 
have had intercourse. There also are race and ethnicity differences: African Americans 
tend to have sex for the fi rst time earlier than Puerto Ricans, who have sex earlier 
than whites. Racial and ethnic differences probably refl ect differences in socioeco-
nomic opportunities and family structure (Arena, 1984; Singh et al., 2000; Hyde, 
Mezulis, & Abramson, 2008). 
What may be most interesting about the patterns of premarital sex is that they 
show a convergence of male and female attitudes and behavior. But is the change 
suffi cient to signal an end to the double standard? 
Probably. For many people, particularly younger individuals, the double stan-
dard has been succeeded by a new view: permissiveness with affection . According to 
those holding this view, premarital intercourse is permissible for both men and 
women if it occurs within a long-term, committed, or loving relationship (DeGaton, 
Weed, & Jensen, 1996; Hyde, Mezulis, & Abramson, 2008).