Feminism linked to increased hookup culture endorsement among women, study shows

According to a new study published in Archives of Sexual Behavior feminist identity and beliefs shape attitudes toward hookup culture, particularly among young women.

Hookup culture, characterized by casual, non-emotional sexual encounters, has significantly influenced the sexual behaviors of emerging adults. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent in industrialized nations. Definitions of a hookup can vary widely, from kissing to sexual intercourse, but the common theme is the lack of a committed relationship.

Feminism, which advocates for gender equality and liberation from sexual repression, has potential implications for attitudes toward hookup culture. In this work, Rachel M. Martino and colleagues examined the relationship between feminism, gender, and endorsement of hookup culture among emerging adults.

Participants were 318 emerging adults aged 18-25 recruited online from five Anglophone countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Participants completed several measures, including the Feminist Beliefs and Behavior Scale and the Endorsement of Hookup Culture Index (EHCI). They were categorized based on their responses to questions about feminist identity and beliefs.

Feminist identity was assessed by asking participants if they considered themselves feminists, while feminist beliefs were measured using three items reflecting core feminist principles: gender equality in treatment, pay equity, and the social valuation of women’s unpaid work. Participants were said to hold feminist beliefs if they agreed with all three items.

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The EHCI included items that gauged participants’ endorsement of hookup culture, capturing aspects like the perceived fun, harmlessness, and sexual freedom associated with casual, commitment-free sexual encounters. Participants also provided demographic information, including gender identity, relationship status, and sexual orientation.

The researchers observed significant interactions between feminist identity, feminist beliefs, and gender on endorsement of hookup culture. Women who identified as feminists or held feminist beliefs reported higher endorsement of hookup culture compared to non-feminist women with non-feminist beliefs. However, neither dimension of feminism predicted hookup culture endorsement in men. The gender disparity in hookup culture endorsement was eliminated when comparing feminist-identifying women and men, suggesting that feminist identity may influence women’s attitudes towards hookups more than men’s.

Among women, those who endorsed feminist identity or beliefs (or both) had higher hookup culture endorsement compared to women who denied both feminist identity and beliefs. This suggests that feminist identity and beliefs jointly contribute to women’s attitudes towards hookup culture. For men, no significant differences were observed in hookup culture endorsement based on feminist identity or beliefs, indicating that feminism’s impact on sexual liberation is more relevant to women.

This study’s sample was restricted to Anglophone countries, limiting the generalizability of the findings to other cultural contexts.

The study, “The Role of Feminism and Gender in Endorsement of Hookup Culture among Emerging Adults”, was authored by Rachel M. Martino, Savannah R. Roberts, Anne J. Maheux, Claire D. Stout, and Sophia Choukas-Bradley.