Risky Business: Misperceived Norms of Sexual Behavior Among College Students

Do students accurately perceive the sexual behavior of their peers? The results of this study indicate a dramatic difference between studentsÂ’ self-reported sexual behavior and their perceptions of peer sexual behavior. Specifically, students tend to overestimate the potentially risky sexual activit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:NASPA journal 2004-10, Vol.42 (1)
Main Authors: Lynch, Joseph, Mowrey, Rebecca, Nesbitt, Gordon, O'Neill, Daniel F
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Do students accurately perceive the sexual behavior of their peers? The results of this study indicate a dramatic difference between studentsÂ’ self-reported sexual behavior and their perceptions of peer sexual behavior. Specifically, students tend to overestimate the potentially risky sexual activity of their peers. The data also challenge popular myths regarding the sexual behavior of Greek and athlete populations. As with alcohol prevention efforts, the disparity between behavior and perception raises the question of whether social marketing strategies may be effective in lowering the incidence of unsafe sexual behaviors among college students.
ISSN:1559-5455
0027-6014
DOI:10.2202/0027-6014.1412