Sex and the College Student: An Exploratory Study of Online and In-Person Deviant Sexual Behaviors.

• In Event: Issues in Sexual Deviance

Abstract

Technological advancements have made the need for in-person human interactions somewhat of an afterthought due to the availability of virtual communication. Sexual encounters have fallen into this realm as social media, picture exchanges, explicit websites, and video chatting have all provided an alternative outlet for exchanges. This paper examines 708 college students who self-reported their sexual behaviors through an online survey. Students were asked about their frequency of online sexual activity, their deviant sexual uses of technology, and how their online encounters affect their in-person ones. Univariate and bivariate analyses, and OLS Regressions were all used to examine these behaviors and relationships. Drawing on prior literature regarding cyber deviancy, this study examines the use of the Internet as a primary source for sexual activity, and the correlations between virtual and in-person sexual encounters. Results from the analysis and future research possibilities will be discussed.

Authors

• Jennifer L. Klein, University of Texas at Tyler

• Danielle A. Tolson, University of Florida