Sexualization and premarital sexual behavior

This article presents a summary of a larger study which investigated the sexual socialization (sexualization) process and its impact on subsequent premarital sexual behavior. The study was motivated by a number of social issues, including the influence of sex education and exposure to erotic materials. Secondary analysis of national data, consisting of face to face interviews with 1177 college students, revealed a complex social psychological network of variables which influences premarital behavior. The relative impact of these variables is examined and the author's impressions of how the process works are presented. The implications of these findings for sex educators and policy makers are considered.