Utilizing an age–period–cohort framework, new research reveals that while Chinese attitudes toward premarital sex and homosexuality have become more liberal over time, attitudes toward extramarital sex remain largely conservative. The study was published in Archives of Sexual Behavior.
China’s rapid transformation since its reform and opening up has significantly altered its economic, political, cultural, and social landscape. In this work, researchers Jiangrui Liu and Hui Yang examined whether these changes have led to a shift in public sexual attitudes and what mechanisms drive these changes.
This study draws on data from seven waves of the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), conducted between 2010 and 2021. The CGSS, one of China’s most comprehensive social survey projects, was collaboratively administered by Renmin University of China and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. It employed a multi-stage stratified sampling design to ensure a nationally representative sample, covering diverse regions and demographics.
Participants were asked about their attitudes towards premarital sex, extramarital sex, and homosexuality using a 5-point scale ranging from “always wrong” to “always right,” with higher scores indicating more liberal attitudes. Independent variables included age, period, cohort, urban-rural divide (hukou status), and political status (CCP membership). Control variables such as gender, ethnicity, education, marital status, income, and social class were also included to account for potential confounding factors.
The analysis revealed significant effects of age, period, and cohort on sexual attitudes in China. Public attitudes towards premarital sex and homosexuality showed increased tolerance over time, whereas attitudes towards extramarital sex remained relatively conservative. Older individuals held conservative views across all three sexual attitudes. The period effect indicated a fluctuating but generally increasing acceptance of premarital sex and homosexuality. Cohort analysis showed that younger cohorts, especially those born after China’s reform and opening up, exhibited more liberal attitudes compared to older cohorts.
Structural factors also significantly shaped sexual attitudes. Urban residents were significantly more tolerant of premarital sex, extramarital sex, and homosexuality compared to their rural counterparts. CCP members, on the other hand, tended to hold more conservative sexual attitudes than non-CCP members, highlighting the influence of political status. Interaction terms between structural factors and cohorts revealed that these differences persisted across different age groups, indicating enduring disparities based on urban-rural and political status.
One limitation noted by the authors is the reliance on self-reported measures of sexual attitudes, which may be subject to social desirability bias.
The study, “Divergence in Chinese Sexual Attitudes: An Age–Period–Cohort Analysis”, was authored by Jiangrui Liu and Hui Yang.