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Dissonance and Sex in the Transition to Adulthood: Is There a Dynamic Relationship for Women?
Mon, August 10, 5:10 to 6:10pm PDT (5:10 to 6:10pm PDT), Hilton San Francisco Union Square, Floor: Ballroom Level, Imperial BAbstract
Young women initiate their sexual lives amidst conflicting messages about sexual norms, which can cause cognitive dissonance between their moral beliefs about premarital sex and desires surrounding sex. Using the Relationship Dynamics and Social Life study data, I describe how young women’s beliefs, desires, and dissonance between the two change before and following sexual debut. Results indicate young women’s cognitive dissonance between their beliefs and desires increases slightly over time, and that having sex in a given twelve-week period predicts future cognitive dissonance, net of prior dissonance and behavior. These findings suggest as women develop their sexual subjectivity early in their sexual trajectory, cognitive dissonance endures. Continued dissonance could potentially increase their risk of poor relationship quality or negative mental health outcomes.