Study Reveals How Sex Can Affect Friendships

Unsurprisingly, a double standard exists for many societal principals in the world today. In particular, when it comes to having sex, girls often are stigmatized, as opposed to boys, who are actually praised for the same “feat.” According to a recent five-year study, which followed nearly 1,000 kids, this double standard begins rather early in life and can ultimately influence the amount of friendships an individual has or maintains.

THE UNEXPECTED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEX AND FRIENDSHIPS

Although the average person does not have sex until the age of 17, the study specifically followed “sexually precocious” kids between the ages of 11 – 16. Based on the data, girls who became sexually active had 45% fewer friends after having sex, whereas boys actually gained 88% more friends. Strangely enough, the opposite is true when it comes to making out. Girls who made out, but did not have sex, gained 25% more friends, as opposed to boys, who lost 29%.

What’s the reasoning behind this phenomenon? According to Derek Kreager, a sociologist at Pennsylvania State University, girls are rewarded for more modest behavior, while men are looked down upon when they take things too slowly.

The results of the study were obtained through analysis of data from the PROSPER longitudinal study (PROmoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience), which examined kids, ages 11-16, from 28 rural communities in Iowa and Pennsylvania across the span of four years (2003 to 2007). As part of the study, the kids took five surveys about their sexual activity and the number of friendships they had. Researchers than compared the number of friends with the age at which the students began to make out or partake in sexual activity.

The results obtained helped researchers identify a notable correlation. However, according to Kreager, it is important to note that other external factors, such as “attractiveness,” could have influenced the data. Even so, the relationship between sex and friendships seems to be “…long-lasting, even for people who don’t have sex early,” Kreager states.

The findings from this study will be presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association taking place this week.


Who needs friends when you have an artificially intelligent robot like Musio?