Hooking Up in the College Context: The Event-Level Effects of Alcohol Use and Partner Familiarity on Hookup Behaviors and Contentment

• Published in: The Journal of sex research Vol. 51; no. 1; pp. 62 - 73
• Main Authors: LaBrie, Joseph W., Hummer, Justin F., Ghaidarov, Tehniat M., Lac, Andrew, Kenney, Shannon R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis Group 01.01.2014; Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality
• Subjects: Adult; Alcohol consumption; Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Alcohol use; Attitude to Health; College students; Discontent; Familiarity; Female; Females; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Male; Personality; Risk-Taking; Sexual behavior; Sexual behaviour; Sexual Partners - psychology; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Surveys and Questionnaires; Undergraduate students; United States - epidemiology; Unsafe Sex - psychology; Unsafe Sex - statistics & numerical data; Young Adult; United States
• ISSN: 0022-4499; 1559-8519
• DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2012.714010

The current study examined hooking up experiences through event-level analyses, including the connections involving alcohol use, the extent of physical contact, and postevaluations of the hookup event. Participants were 828 college students (67.0% female). Of students who reported hooking up sometime within the past year (54.8%), chi-square analyses revealed that they were more likely to have been drinking when they met their partners the night of the hookup. Females who were drinking beforehand and females who met their partners that night were more likely to feel discontent with their hookup decisions. Among participants who consumed alcohol prior to their last hookup, a notable 30.7% of females and 27.9% of males indicated that they would likely not have hooked up with their partners had alcohol not been involved. Further, 34.4% of females and 27.9% of males indicated that they would not have gone as far physically if they had not been drinking. Among participants who reported both drinking beforehand and hooking up with unfamiliar partners, greater number of drinks consumed was associated with more advanced sexual behaviors. The current findings highlight the potential risks associated with alcohol use in the hooking up culture.