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First published September 2006

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Hooking Up: The Relationship Contexts of “Nonrelationship” Sex

Wendy D. Manning, Peggy C. Giordano, and Monica A. LongmoreView all authors and affiliations

Volume 21, Issue 5

https://doi.org/10.1177/0743558406291692

Abstract
References

Abstract

More than one half of sexually active teens have had sexual partners they are not dating. However, remarkably little is known about the nature of these sexual relationships. Using survey and qualitative data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study the authors contrast the qualities of dating sexual relationships and sexual relationships that occur out-side the dating context. They find that adolescents having sex outside of the dating context are choosing partners who are friends or ex-girlfriends and/or boyfriends. Moreover, one third of these nondating sexual partnerships are associated with hopes or expectations that the relationship will lead to more conventional dating relationships. Boys and girls who experience sex outside of conventional dating relationships often share similar orientations toward their relationship. Results suggest that a more nuanced view is key to understanding adolescent sexual behavior.

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1. Even though our initial survey included seventh graders, only 7% of our sample of teens who had sexual partners in the past 12 months were in the seventh grade. We do not have sufficient cases to analyze the seventh graders separately. Our results are similar when we exclude the seventh graders from the sample.

2. One fourth of teens with a dating sexual partner also had a nondating sexual partner, and two fifths of teens with a nondating sexual partner also had a dating sexual partner in the past 12 months.

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