The American College Hookup Scene: Findings from the Online College Social Life Survey

Abstract

Connecting sociological analysis with topics of timely relevance to students and our society is a valuable feature of our discipline. This extensive PowerPoint presentation provides the foundation for a comprehensive class session on sex in college, hookups, relationships, persistent gender patterns and sexual assault. The data come from the Online...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Sexualities

Resource Type(s):

PowerPoint

Class Level(s):

Any Level

Class Size(s):

Any

Usage Notes

The four assessments can be utilized for all four learning goals. In discussing the data, students sometimes enjoy talking about how things are different at their institution than in the data from the approximately 20 colleges and universities in the online survey. However, we think it important to point out to students that analyses in the OCSLS show...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. To deliver a didactic lecture that provides a substantive, descriptive portrait of empirical data on patterns of "hooking up".
2. To demonstrate the persistent gendered patterns in hooking up behavior. To examine trends in sexual assault by gender and sexual orientation.
3. To demonstrate the value of social science methodology and data driven understanding.

Goal Assessment(s):

1. Potential options for adopters include: Students write about 1/2 of the graphs in the presentation. They write about whether it is their perception that this pattern holds at the school they attend, and, if not, write about how their experience differs.
2. Students write about 2 of the ways the presentation shows hooking up or sexual assault to be patterned by gender. Describe whether and why they were surprised to learn of this gender pattern. Describe how this data fits with what is covered by the media.
3. Small group discussion on how such research builds social science knowledge – Why should we study these trends? Do they matter? What about those who don't attend college? Each small group should prepare a short written or oral summary of their discussion.