2005/09/01 by Brooke E. Wells, Jean M. Twenge · 1 citation
Health Professions · Psychology · Medicine · #Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health #Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology #Sexual function and dysfunction studies #Young adult #Psychology #Human sexuality #Sexually active #Feeling #Developmental psychology #Sexual intercourse #Sexual behavior #Demography #Social psychology #Population #Gender studies
paper · doi:10.1037/1089-2680.9.3.249
openalex publication_date 2005/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
A cross-temporal meta-analysis of 530 studies ( N = 269,649) showed that young people's sexual attitudes and behavior changed substantially between 1943 and 1999, with the largest shifts occurring among girls and young women. Both young men and women became more sexually active over time, as measured by age at first intercourse (decreasing from 19 to 15 years among young women) and percentage sexually active (increasing from 13% to 47% among young women). Attitudes toward premarital intercourse became more lenient, with approval increasing from 12% to 73% among young women and from 40% to 79% among young men. Feelings of sexual guilt decreased. The correlation between attitudes and behaviors was stronger among young women. These data support theories positing that culture has a larger effect on women's sexuality.