Literature Review #17

First time swingers by Maxine Payne

In this article by Maxine Clark she talks about first time swingers going to their first swinger party. The number one question asked is who is a swinger and who is involved in swinger parties. Maxine says that swinging is not cheating, it’s consensual which means no secrets and both partners are very aware of what takes place. If you are sneaking off and having a casual fling on the side then you are a cheater not a swinger. In the article it says that men will often be the first to initiate a swinging experience and are often surprised at how readily their partners will consent to the idea. A lot of time can pass between discussion and action and many couples may never progress past this point even after an agreement. She says that first time swingers should never feel pressured into sex, there should be 100 % agreement between all parties and at least some chemistry to make the experience as exciting as possible. If a partner gets cold feet or a bad vibe then it is to respect your partner and stop no matter how badly you might want to proceed. Couples need to keep the communication lines open at all times, it’s very important to have some clear boundaries. Swinging can be fun, take the time to find the right partners and test the waters. This is what this is said in the article

-Joaquin Avalos-

Literature Review # 16

History of the swinger life

In this article it says that swing dating has been going on since the early roman times. Because of its enthusiastic acceptance of orgies and alternative sexual practices. It states that both royalty and nobility in many cultures had consorts and concubines with each other. All though contemporary swingers celebrate those ideals, the actual practice of swinging in the 20th century began differently and was done way different. According to Terry Gould's The Lifestyle: A Look at the Erotic Rites of Swingers, swinging began among U.S. Air Force pilots and their wives during World War II. In this small community, the mortality rate among pilots was really high. Gould reports that a close bond between pilots arose, with the implication that the husbands would protect and care for all the wives as their own, both emotionally and sexually, if the husbands were away or lost. This historical narrative is debatable, however, since it would have been highly unusual for men’s wives to accompany them on any foreign tours of duty. Though the exact beginnings are not agreed upon, it is widely assumed that swinging began amongst American military communities in the 1950s. By the time the Korean War ended, these groups had spread from the bases to the nearby suburbs. The media picked up on them in 1957 and promptly dubbed the phenomenon 'wife-swapping.' It wasn't until the 1960s in Berkeley, California that the first organization, 'Sexual Freedom League', for swingers was opened. The most recent study, based on an Internet questionnaire addressed to visitors of lifestyle-related sites, found swingers are happier in their relationships than the norm. 60% Of swingers said that swinging improved their relationship and only 1.7% said it made their relationship less happy. This study, while enlightening, is of limited accuracy of the swinging population as a whole, due to its self-selected sampling technique. Internet-based sampling procedures create a substantial potential for bias. It is likely that those swinging couples who had stronger relationships were more motivated to complete the questionnaire. Alternatively, the stress that swinging may place on a marriage means that only those with higher than average levels of commitment to their partners are able to remain married whilst swinging. This is what this article was mainly about.

-Joaquin Avalos-

Literature Review #15: Gender Differences in Online Dating

Gane, M. E. , 2005-08-12 "Gender Differences in Online Dating: An Investigation of Vulnerability and Deception" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Marriott Hotel, Loews Philadelphia Hotel, Philadelphia, PA Online. 2009-05-25 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p22108_index.html

Gender Differences in Online Dating: An Investigation of Vulnerability and Deception
by Mary Gane

Summary:
"This paper investigates gender differences in heterosexual online dating through participant observation. Results indicate that women were more likely to decieve men in online dating. Results are not generalizable, however, findings indicate the direction necessary for future research."

-D.Ha

Literature Review #14: Dating Traditions in the Age of the Computer

Samp, J. A. and Palevitz, C. E. , 2008-11-20 "Dating and Romantic Relationships: Taking Tradition into the Future with a Computer" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the NCA 94th Annual Convention, TBA, San Diego, CA Online. 2009-10-27 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p258245_index.html

Dating and Romantic Relationships: Taking Tradition into the Future with a Computer
by Caren Palevitz and Jennifer Samp

Summary:
"Traditional approaches to romantic relationship initiation, development, management, and dissolution have focused on such processes as they unfold between face-to-face participants. Little research to date has examined how all stages of romantic relationships have been redefined due to the mainstreaming of the internet as a tool for positive relationship functioning. Therefore, our goal here is to highlight how traditional modes of relationship formation, development, and management are now changing, particularly for “generation net” as a means toward encouraging communication scholars to develop research and theories that integrate computer-mediated processes as an important, and functional, part of romantic relationships."

-D.Ha

Literature Review #13: Sexual Content in Media and Adolescent Sexual Behavior

Bleakley, A. , Hennessy, M. , Fishbein, M. and Jordan, A. B. "It Works Both Ways: The Relationship Between Sexual Content in the Media and Adolescent Sexual Behavior" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, TBA, San Francisco, CA. 2009-05-24 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p172439_index.html

It Works Both Ways: The Relationship Between Sexual Content in the Media and Adolescent Sexual Behavior
by Amy Bleakley, Martin Fishbein, Michael Hennessy, and Amy Jordan

Summary:
"There is considerable interest in how sexual content in the media influences adolescent sexual behavior. Current research paradigms focus on exposure to sexual content as a precursor to sexual behavior. That is, our theoretical models presume that exposure precedes behavior. It is plausible, however, that there is a reciprocal relationship between sexual content exposure and sexual behavior. Does exposure to sex in the media cause adolescents to become more sexually active, or do adolescents interested in sex expose themselves to sex in the media? Longitudinal data analysis is not sufficient to address this question since the processes might be simultaneous in nature. Thus results from non-recursive regression analyses (3 stage least squares analysis) on survey data collected from a convenience sample of adolescents ages 14-16 (n=457) indicate that the relationship between sexual content exposure and sexual behavior is simultaneous."

-D.Ha

Literature Review #12: Peer Influence Mediates Sexual Behavior in Adolescents

Chia, S. C. , 2004-05-27 "How peer influence mediates media influence on adolescent sexual behavior" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, New Orleans Sheraton, New Orleans, LA Online. 2009-05-26 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p112824_index.html

How Peer Influence Mediates Media Influence on Adolescent Sexual Behavior
by Stella Chia

Summary:
"Previous studies of media effects on adolescent sexuality have primarily focused on the direct effects that were explained by social learning theory or cultivation theory. This study examined an alternative model to explain that peer influence mediates media influence on adolescent sexuality. This model uses the “perceptions of the influence of mass media on others” as a key element to bridge media exposure, perception of peer norms and teenagers’ personal sexuality. It argues that perception of peer norms is the consequence of presumed media influence on peers and that perception, in turn, influences adolescent sexuality.
Data came from a paper-and-pencil survey with 213 late adolescents of 18 or 19-years old. Results generally supported the model. The findings show that: 1) adolescents attend to sex-related media and believe their peers attend to similar media content as themselves; 2) adolescents anticipate influence of the sex-related media content on their peers, and a corresponding increase of their peers’ sexual permissiveness; 3) perceptions of media influence on peer norms regarding sexual issues led adolescents to become more sexually permissive; and 4) the permissive sexual attitudes of adolescents predict the possibility for adolescents to engage in sexual activities."

-D.Ha

Historical Timeline: 1970s-2000s

1970s: The feminism movement that began in the 1960s received greater support in the following decade. This affected dating habits because women were fighting more for their independence and wanted to be recognized to be different and just as capable as men. In 1973, the decision involving Roe vs. Wade was made. The concept of freedom of choice over pro-life changed the decisions made by many men and women involving unplanned pregnancies.

1980s: In the 1980s, gay rights became more widely accepted. More people were becoming more okay with the idea of homosexuals during this era. The immune virus, AIDS, was also discovered in the 1980s. The idea of a disease that was transmitted sexually probably caused a great change in the way people approached casual sex. Although AIDS was though of as a gay disease, it was still feared by heterosexuals and homosexuals.

1990s through 2009: Introduction of the internet happened in the 90s. This is obviously very important because it changed dating tremendously. Online dating was introduced as well as social networking sites. It is important to understand that the ability to communicate via email and messenger sites changed dating because people did not have to meet and get together to communicate. Also, the cell phone was introduced. Texting sexual messages to people or naked pictures to people became the new fad (sexting), and it brought about more promiscuity. Internet porn, more sexually explicit television and music, raunchy music videos...this is the era of sex, not romance.

-A. Merchant

Literature Review # 11: "Gendered Differences in Heterosexual Dating: A Content Analysis of Personal Ads

“Gender Differences in Heterosexual Dating: A Content Analysis of Personal Ads.” By: Larry M. Lance
Lance, Larry. "Gender Differences in Heterosexual Dating: A Content Analysis of Personal Ads." Journal of Men's Studies V. 6 No. 3 (Spring 1998) P. 297-305, 6.3 (1998): 297-305.

There are many different characteristics that people look for in meeting, dating, and possibly finding romance with someone. This article conducts a study to figure out which characteristics in a person are most sought after from both men’s and women’s points of view. They studied 1,433 descriptive ads in magazines and newspapers in the southeastern states of the U.S. Studies conducted in 1977 found that the most frequent characteristic that men seek in women is attractiveness and fertility, which usually refers to a younger woman. In the same study in 1977, women frequently look for a man that would provide financial security, which usually referred to an older man. In a recent study conducted in 1995, which reviewed magazine and newspaper ads about which characteristics are preferred by both men and women, it was found that personality characteristics (sense of humor, kind, honest, warm, and intelligent) are important in the search for a potential partnership for both men and women. However after ranking personality as the number one characteristic, men then ranked attractiveness as number two on the chart of top five characteristics. Women ranked financial/professional/educational characteristics as number two below personality on the chart. This suggests that the women’s movement had an influence on women in searching for a potential heterosexual partner. During the women’s movement, women were encouraged to further their education and strive for careers, thus changing a women’s perspective for which characteristic is most important in a potential partner. Women no longer need to look for a partner that is financially stable because women can earn a reasonable income to survive independently. Therefore preferred characteristics for men and women are slowly shifting. Both focus on personality as opposed to good looks and financial stability.



-V.Lopez

Historical Timeline: 1920s-1960s

1920s: Movies were able to have both sound and color, which increased the amount of movies made and how many people were going to the theater. This could affect dating because there were more people being influenced by popular culture and the stereotypes portrayed by the media. This era was characterized by the "roaring 20s" and it experienced a sudden increase in available technology. The first mass-produced car, the Ford Model-T, was sold in this decade which changed dating forever (afterall, who really wants to date a man without a car?) The flapper era style was embodied by women who dressed in clothing that was comfortable, not to show off for men. This was the lost generation, so to speak, so they were about individualism and finding themselves.


1930s: The crash in the stock market during the year 1929 caused the Great Depression to affect the 30s very heavily. The 30s were a tough era and was the only decade in which murderers and bank robbers were considered celebrities by the American people. Big band music became all the rage, and men and women often listened to music like this on dates. However, because of the economy, this decade is not seen as a huge era for dating and romantic relationships because people were more concerned with surviving and making ends meet.


1940s: Politically, a lot was going on during the 1940s. This was the time of World War II. Men were overseas fighting the war, and women were forced to stay home to watch their kids and work. The idea of women working in factories was a huge change because men typically held these jobs. The 1940s were highly influential because it gave women the first nudge toward working outside of the home. Women also had more power in their households because their significant others were gone. Although dating probably changed a lot because of the amount of young men fighting in the war, there seem to be many relationships from this era that lasted through generations. Americans wanted a hero, and I think this is why so many women applauded their mens bravery in the armed forces instead of dwelling on their problems at home.


1950s: Ohhh yay! The first oral contraceptive was introduced in the 1950s. This meant that women could have sex with more people without living in fear of getting pregnant. Perhaps this is where being more promiscuous happened. The 50s were also the era that people began recognizing teenagers as young adults and did not associate them so closely with children. This era is also classified by the baby boom. More people were having babies than ever because women wanted to have kids once their husbands came back from war. Sex symbol, Marilyn Monroe, and crooners like Frank Sinatra made huge impacts on the generation.


1960s: Although the 1960s had events like the Vietnam war, the demonstrations were peaceful. This era was classified by the "happy face." The 60s meant free love and hippies. Sex became more of a casual thing than romantic. Drugs were being sold and taken like crazy during this time, which is why it is so important to dating because drugs were a part of so many relationships.

-A. Merchant

Interviews about Relationships/Swinging

a)FIRST INTERVIEW
b)SECOND INTERVIEW
1. NAME:
a)KAREN HERNANDEZ
b)ANDREYA
2. AGE:
a)19
b)18
3. GENDER:
a)FEMALE
b)FEMALE
4. ENTHNICITY:
a)LATINA
b)LATINA
5. ARE YOU IN A RELATIONSHIP?
a)YES, FOR THREE MONTHS
b)NO
6. DO YOU KNOW WHAT SWING DATING IS?
a)YES, AND IM NOT VERY FOND OF IT.
b)YES, IVE SEEN IT ON TV
7. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN INVOLVED IN A SWINGER PARTY?
a)NO, I THINK IT IS DISGUISTING, I THINK THAT IT WOULD MAKE ME SEEM LIKE A SLUT.
b)NO, NEVER BEEN INTERESTED.
8. WHY WOULD YOU NOT WANT TO TRY SWING DATING IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP?
a)BECAUSE I ALREADY HAVE A BOYFRIEND AND I WOULD NEVER WANT TO SHARE HIM WITH ANYONE ELSE EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT BE ONE OF HIS FANTASY'S. BECAUSE IM SURE HE WOULDNT LET ME DO THAT.
b)BECAUSE I DONT LIKE TO SHARE WITH ANYONE ELSE.
9. DURING YOUR RELATIONSHIP WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER TRYING SWING DATING FOR SEXUAL PLEASURE?
a)NO IT WOULD NEVER CROSS MY MIND.
b)NO NEVER THOUGHT OF IT.
10. IF YOUR PARTNER WANTED TO BE APART OF A "SWINGING ACTIVITY" AND YOU WERE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH IT WOULD YOU STILL BE APART OF IT ONLY TO PLEASURE YOUR PARTNER?
a)HELL NO, I WOULD LITERALY LEAVE HIM THE MINUTE HE THINKS ABOUT IT. IF WHAT IM DOING ISN'T ENOUGH THEN HE CAN LEAVE AS SOON AS POSIBLE LOL.
b)YA SURE WHY NOT BUT ONLY IF I WAS ABLE TO CHOSE THE PERSON HE WAS GONNA DO IT WITH LOL.
11. WHO DO YOU THINK WOULD BRING UP THE IDEA OF WANTING TO BE A SWINGER COUPLE?
a)MALES BECAUSE ISN'T SEX ALWAYS ON THEIR MIND, RIGHT OR MAYBE WHO EVER IS MORE HORNIER AT THE MOMENT.
b)I THINK WHO EVER HAS SEX OR THE IDEA ON THERE MIND OR MAYBE THE MALE BECAUSE HE HAS SEX ON HIS MIND MOST OF THE TIME.
12. WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE HAVE SWINGER PARTIES?
a)BECAUSE THEY WANT TO HOOK UP WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
b)BECAUSE THEY ARE CURIOUS AND MAYBE WANT TO TRY NEW THINGS.
13. WOULD YOU FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IF THE OTHER PERSON AT THE SWINGER PARTY THAT YOUR PARTNER WOULD GET WITH, WAS THE SAME GENDER AS YOUR PARTNER?
a)I WOULDN'T WANT HIM TO DO IT PERIOD LOL. THATS HOW I FEEL.
b)NO I WOULDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE PERIOD BECAUSE BECAUSE IT WOULD BE KIND OF WEIRD IF MY PARTNER WOULD KISS SOMEONE OF HIS SAME GENDER.

Dating: Swinging?

This survey was conducted through email, and participants were students that attend California State University Fullerton, University Irvine, and Garden Grove. The data is based on results from 59 participants.
The purpose of this survey was to understand the different points of views that people have with the topic of the swinging lifestyle focusing on whether people associate swinging with cheating, if males/females are more prone to suggest swinging lifestyle, what participants think the reason is for people to take part in the swinging lifestyle, if participants would actually want to take par in the swinging lifestyle, and if they would be comfortable telling friends/family that they are part of a swinging community. There are ten questions in the survey which ask the following:
1. What is your gender? 42 females and 17 males.
2. What is your age? There were 10 nineteen year olds, 44 participants in their 20's, 2 people in their thirties, and 3 people in their forties respectively. The youngest participant was 19 years of age and the oldest participant was 41 respectively.
3. What is your ethnicity? There were 27 Caucasians, 20 Hispanics, 1 African American, 1 Pakistani, 2 Filipinos, 2 Asians, and 6 participants of mixed ethnicity.
4. Do you associate swinging as cheating? Results found that 60% of participants said yes; swinging is cheating. 36% said no; swinging is not cheating. 2% skipped the question. Data concluded that despite the fact that both partners agree to have sexual intercourse with other couples, the majority of participants still feel that having intercourse with someone else beside their own partner is considered cheating.
5. What are some reasons why you would not consider swinging as an option in your relationship? 31% of participants felt that they would be jealous of another person having sexual intercourse with their spouse. 20% of participants feared that they would lose their spouse. 9% of participants would not take part in swinging because of religious beliefs/morals. 23% said that all of the above would affect their decision. The following are additional reasons given by the participants in a comment box. 6% feared they would gain STDs. 1% felt swinging was gross. 1% would be embarrassed. 11% skipped the question. Results found that jealousy is a big factor for people in taking part in swinging. It is assumed that the thought of having a stranger have sex with your spouse in completely unacceptable, although in the end you know your spouse will return home with you.
6. While in a relationship, would you consider swinging as an option for sexual pleasure? 77% said they would not participate in swinging for sexual pleasure. 23% said they would participate in swinging.
7. If your spouse wanted to take part in "swinging activities" but you were uncomfortable with the idea, would you still take part in the activities to please your spouse? 87% of participants said they would not take part to please their spouse. 13% said they would give in to their spouse and take part to please them. Although there is a higher percentage of a person not taking part in swinging for their spouse's pleasure, it was interesting to see that there is till a small percentage of people that do trust their spouse and will support their spouse no matter how absurd the idea or situation is.
8. Do you think males or females are more likely to suggest the idea in becoming a swinging couple? 73% of participants felt that males would be the first to suggest the idea in becoming a swinging couple. 23% felt females would be first to suggest swinging. 4% skipped the question. This shows that society still believes in the stereotype that men always want sex, that it does not matter who they have sex with, and that men are fascinated in the many ways to experience sexual intercourse. However, almost 1/4 of participants felt that women would suggest the idea first, which comes to show that society's belief about who wants sex more is slowly beginning to shift from males to females.
9. Why do you think people take part in swinging activities? 34% of participants voted that swinging are looking for a sexual thrill. 15% voted they do not want to gain the title of being a "cheater" so they include their spouse in the "act." 13% voted they are not happy with their relationship's sexual activity. 0% said swingers felt lonely. 30% chose the option of all of the above factors will effect swinging participation. The following are additional answers given by participants in a comment box. 1% felt the environment in which a person is raised compels a person to take part in distinctive lifestyles. 1% felt that it was promiscuity. 1% felt that swingers are turning a fantasy into a hobby. 4% of participants skipped the question.
10. If you take part in swinging activities and enjoy the activities, would you allow others such as family and friends to know you are a swinger? 82% of participants voted no; they wouldn't tell anyone about their swinging lifestyle. 13% voted yes; they would tell friends and family. The following are addition answers given by participants in a comment box. 5% of participants would only tell close friends about their swinging lifestyle. 0% would tell family members. The data comes to find that people would not tell anyone about their personal life, and that the swinging lifestyle is a subject of taboo. A participant stated in the comment box "No. I think that it is something that's not really accepted within American society and especially within the Latino community." However, there are a small percentage of people that would tell others about their personal life. One participant stated "If I did take part in swinging activities I would not be ashamed of my actions." Another participant stated "I don't take part in these activities, but I am a strong believer in accepting how other people choose to live their lives. Who is anyone to say someone is wrong just because it's not something they support." There are a certain amount of individuals who are open to the swinging lifestyle and accept the concept even though they do not take part in the activities themselves. They believe that people should not be afraid to express themselves. Another interesting fact was that 5% of participants feel more comfortable telling their friends about personal choices as opposed to telling their family. I think its interesting that people do not want to tell their family, even though they have known their family their entire life, and feel much more comfortable telling friends about their personal life.

V.Lopez

Literature Review #10: Dating Violence

Manganello, J. A. , 2004-05-27 "Teens, Dating Violence and Media Effects: A Conceptual Model and Agenda for Future Research" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, New Orleans Sheraton, New Orleans, LA Online <.PDF>. 2009-12-01 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p112940_index.html.

Teen, Dating Violence, and Media Effects: A Conceptual Model and Agenda for Future Research
by Jennifer Manganello

Manganello is researching whether or not media plays a part of influencing young men and women to participate in teen dating violence. She reviewed studies and the outcome showed that of boys and girls in grade 8 through grade 12 there were large percentages of abuse reported. The number of reported dating aggression was about equal amongst both sexes. However, adult dating violence is characterized by more women victims than men. Research also said that men were likely to laugh or shake off violent attacks while women were more likely to fight back. Manganello said that about 15% of high school students have reported sexual abuse (about the same number of male and female reports). As the paper goes on, she writes of the risk factors that can contribute to becoming involved in dating violence. In teen dating violence, jealousy is often the main reason violent acts have occurred. Teens themselves often recognize that media has an influence over their behavior as well (ie: images in pornography, scenes in movies, etc.). Ultimately, her conclusion is that the media can play a negative influence on teen behavior and could likely be a cause for why people participate in violence in relationships. She also says, in retrospect, that the media could be used as a tool to inform people about the physical and emotional harm that teen dating violence can cause for people later in their lives.


-A. Merchant

Literature Review #9: The Effects of Biological Sex and Intimacy Expressions

Pearson, J. C., Miller, A. N., Carmon, A. F. and Child, J. T. , 2008-11-20 "The Effects of Biological Sex and Intimacy Expressions on Relational Quality and Intimacy on Dating Couples" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the NCA 94th Annual Convention, TBA, San Diego, CA Online . 2009-10-26 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p259215_index.html

The Effects of Biological Sex and Intimacy Expressions on Relational Quality and Intimacy on Dating Couples
by J. Pearson, A. Miller, A. Carmon, and J. Child

In the article, the writers discuss how biological sex impacts relational quality and intimacy in college relationships in which the people observed were between 18-25 years of age. According to the article, biological sex ended up having the only significant impact on a relationship's quality. The research provided by the authors say that cuddling and other similar intimate acts are not considered by couples to determine their level of intimacy in a relationship. These types of acts do, however, play a role when couples determine their level of relational quality. The researchers did say that men might define intimacy differently from women. For example, a man might rank his intimacy higher than what his female partner ranked it. In a nutshell, the study was meant to show that biological sex affects intimacy and intimacy affects relationship quality.


-A. Merchant

Literature Review #8: Early Socialization of Gender Expectations in Dating

Rodriguez, J. E. , 2006-08-10 "Early Socialization of Gender Expectation and Social Role Theory Help Reflect Contemporary Dating Scripts" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Montreal Convention Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Online<PDF>. 2009-12-04 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p105165_index.html.

Early Socialization of Gender Expectation and Social Rule Theory Help Reflect Contemporary Dating Scripts

by James Rodriguez

According to the paper, traditional gender roles are developed at an early age and that sexual-scripts and dating-scripts put pressures on us to maintain the stereotypes of our genders. He talks about important events in history, such as songs being written and the women's movement, that changed the way our society looked at the typical gender roles. Men were forced to adapt to be romantic while women had to become more powerful and less submissive. Rodriguez says that social-gender scripts are what influence our dating habits. The paper says that men were found to manage their non verbal better and are more task-oriented. On the contrary, women are better at sending non verbal messages and showing their emotions. In relation to sex and dating, men are often more concerned about maintaining their independence in an intimate relationship while women focus more on the relationship ideals. Rodriguez writes that although men and women are expected to have many differences in their dating practices, they act similar in many areas of intimacy. Regardless, popular culture puts pressure for people of both genders to succumb to the stereotypes of the past; for example, men being the bread-winners and women being housewives and tending to their children.

-A. Merchant

Literature Review #7: Unreal Dates and Real Lessons

Gudelunas, D. J. , 2008-11-20 "Unreal Dates and Real Lessons: Reality Dating as Sexual Education" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the NCA 94th Annual Convention, TBA, San Diego, CA Online <PDF>. 2009-11-27 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p255586_index.html

Unreal Dates and Real Lessons: Reality Dating as Sexual Education

by David Gudelunas

In the article by David Gudelunas, he talks about reality-tv and its role in educating people between the ages of 18 and 21. The people in the study group considered themselves frequent watchers of reality television. Gudelunas says that the 22-minute programming that is infiltrated with sexually charged singles are the source of sexual education for many individuals. First, dating and traditional courting was on the decline. Second, safe-sex practices and healthy relationships are being replaced with the actions of sex-driven individuals of reality television. "Getting naked" is now becoming the first step in getting dates, according to men that participated in the survey. He emphasizes that dating rituals are now becoming a thing of the past and it rarely occurs today in the 21st century. He interviewed men and women, and one women said she has had a number of boyfriends but has never been on a date. One of the men said that he had a consistent girlfriend through high school, but he defines their relationship before being boyfriend-girlfriend was going to parties and hanging out. Gudelunas blames these types of opinions and habits on the people and actions showed in reality television because it makes it seem that you must crave sex and be sexy in order to attract the attention of the opposite sex.

-A. Merchant

Literature Review #6: The Effects of Race and Attractiveness on Dating Preferences

Lauture, J. , 2008-07-31 "The Effects of Race and Attractiveness on Dating Preferences" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Sheraton Boston and the Boston Marriott Copley Place, Boston, MA Online . 2009-05-23 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p240561_index.html

The Effects of Race and Attractiveness on Dating Preferences
by Jennifer Lauture

This article investigates how important attractiveness is in the process of selecting someone to date and whether or not race affects the attractivenss of a person. Lauture says that men were more likely to find white women more attractive than black or asian women. In the beginning of the article, she discusses that people think that using race when choosing friends is morally wrong, but they find using race as a criteria for dating is natural and is more okay than in other situations. Lauture describes that men often compare women to women of other races in a similar position. For example, a successful black woman would be compared to a white woman in the same position. She follows this up by saying everyone has been socialized by their peers, families, etc. to have opinions about how race should function in intimate dating relationships. Another main point of this article is discussing the standard of beauty and stereotypes that each race is connected with in the minds of men. Lauture uses the example that black women and asian women are considered hypersexual and often consider themselves to be unattractive to men, while white women are thought of to be pure and beautiful. Ultimately, her findings conclude that race plays a role in choosing mates or partners in dating, and it often is very relevant in determining how their relationship will play out.

-A. Merchant

Literature Review #5: The Shift from Dating to Hooking Up

Bogle, K. , 2005-08-12 "The Shift from Dating to Hooking Up: What Scholars Have Missed" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Marriott Hotel, Loews Philadelphia Hotel, Philadelphia, PA Online . 2009-12-03 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p23315_index.html.

The Shift from Dating to Hooking Up: What Scholars Have Missed
by Kathleen Bogle

This article talks about the hook up standard on college campuses (very similar to the article we read in class). It suggests that the "traditional date" is becoming non-existent in the world of interaction between male and female. According to the article the terms "dating" and "date" are being replaced by "hooking up" amongst heterosexual couples. Bogen goes on to say that these "hook up" encounters between college men and women are often influenced by alcohol, and hooking up is becoming the pre-dating standard. She says that most college students hook up first with no strings attached, and sometimes it is followed by dating if things get more serious. Throughout her article, she writes about the differences between the date-script and the hook up-script, and she goes onto say that most people that participate in this "hook-up" method gossip about the promiscuous sexual actions of others, as to shine a light on the explicit behavior of others and remove some of the guilt from themselves.



-A. Merchant

Media Analysis: Relationships and Dating in Contemporary Film

Introduction:

On the silver-screen, dating and relationships typically always end with a fairytale sense of "and they lived happily ever-after" despite any and all conflicts that take place between the opening title and the closing credits. The most notorious of genres that demonstrate this ideology are the Romantic-Comedies and their subgenres which are often referred to as ‘Chick Flicks’. Although often very predictable and unoriginal in plot, these films seem to always garner a huge fan-following from their targeted audience (adult and teenage females) by following the very simple formula of: girl meets boy, girl and boy fall in love, conflict, girl and boy split up, revelation, girl and boy get back together. One reason as to why these films achieve the fame that they do is simply because they give their viewers the happy endings and warm-fuzzy feelings that they paid for. However, not all Romantic-Comedies follow this formula and end with the audience “aww”-ing. Conversely, many recent films of this genre have taken a much more realistic approach to the world of dating within the last few years. This article will take a look at a few films that display traits of both the overly-optimistic and the more realistic view of dating and how they both have had a hand in shaping the way that we view dating in our society.


Optimistic Approaches to Dating and Relationships:

Music and Lyrics directed by Marc Lawrence (Warner Bros., 2007)

First and foremost, I have to admit that as corny, cheesy, and predictable as this film’s plot is, I actually really enjoyed watching it. Music and Lyrics is a Romantic-Comedy in its truest sense. It is a film that revolves around the notion that love conquers all obstacles while at the same time maintaining a light-hearted feeling throughout the story.

Music and Lyrics stars Hugh Grant as a near-has-been 80’s Pop Star named Alex Fletcher and Drew Barrymore as Sophie Fisher, an insecure housekeeper who has a knack for creative writing who was hired to tend to Fletcher’s home while he is away on tour; performing at high-school reunions, amusement parks and county fairs. Although Fletcher considers himself to be a music legend and pop icon, his fandom is increasingly diminishing. On the brink of depression, Fletcher manages to catch a break when a young, contemporary, pop princess named Cora Corman (Haley Bennette) commissions him to write a song entitled “A Way Back Into Love” for her upcoming album which he quickly agrees to write on the belief that it will jumpstart his dying career as a musician. Fletcher hits several roadblocks on his writing path and desperately coaxes Sophie into assisting him.

Throughout the course of the film, the two gradually become more and more infatuated with one another but seemed to be destined to fail because of Alex’s lust for re-attained fame. Sophie leaves Fletcher (with the finished song) but attends the concert in which their song will be unveiled. To her dismay, she notices that her name is left out of the billing for the song that Alex is to perform, thinking that he took full credit for the song, she becomes depressed but is instantly reassured by Alex’s performance of a brand new song that he had written himself in attempt to win her back. After a performance of “A Way Back Into Love” by Cora and Alex, the two songwriters embrace and the film ends happily.

As stated earlier, Music and Lyrics is a Romantic-Comedy to its very core. It manages to portray a love story with a comically light heart and follows the formula perfectly. Although this film is highly enjoyable to watch, it casts an unrealistic depiction of what romantic relationships are. The actions that take place onscreen are highly fictitious and unbelievable. Impractical love stories such as this one may have a harmful affect on the way viewers perceive their own relationships in real life. Those who are caught in a relationship that is most likely not bound to succeed, remain together merely on the hope that they will have a movie-script ending of their own.


Realistic Approaches to Dating and Relationships:

The Break-Up directed by Peyton Reed (Universal Pictures, 2006)

The Break-Up is an oddball of a Romantic-Comedy. Some have commented that it is neither romantic nor comical (Peter T. Chattaway, Christianity Today Magazine, 2006) while others just settle to say that it is more of a serious film with a comedic side that integrates romantic elements into the plot (Brandon Fibbs, brandonfibbs.com, 2006). Regardless of what critics say, this is a film that accurately demonstrates the harshness of a majority of real-life relationships. Nevertheless, don’t let these comments disinterest you from watching this movie; it has some pretty funny moments and it is unique in that it provides genuine entertainment for both men and women.

The plot follows the formula stated above but manages to cover the first two steps within the opening title and credits. Once the actual dialogues begin, it is evident that the two main characters, Gary Growbowski (Vince Vaughn) and Brooke Meyers (Jennifer Aniston), are as mismatched as two could be. Gary is selfish and flakey whereas Brooke is controlling and a perfectionist. The two constantly argue with one another and this leads them to the decision of splitting up despite some efforts shown by both sides to stay together.

As the story unfolds and the two leads become more and more vindictive towards each other, the film begins to become somewhat unpleasant to watch because of the realism shown in their arguments. At times, I even found myself recognizing some of my own faults in Vaughn’s role. However, just as in real life, conflict always has (at least) two sides. While being able to see myself in Gary’s shoes and reacting the way he does onscreen, I was also able to spot similarities and make connections between Brooke and certain people in my life. Due to the realistic approach to relationships that this film takes, viewers are given a chance to truly see themselves from an outside perspective. This rare opportunity allows us to analyze ourselves and our own relationships and to determine whether or not the current status that they are in is worth the effort of sacrificing time and energy or not.

The Break-Up is definitely not a typical Romantic-Comedy. There are instances in the film that lead you to believe that the two leading characters could actually get back together and work things out between themselves, but that would honestly leave me with a sense of disappointment from a film by this name. If first-time viewers are expecting a lovey-dovey story of two people in love, then they are definitely in for a huge surprise. Indeed this is an emotional roller-coaster of a film but unlike a majority of Romantic-Comedies out there, this ride lacks brakes and is on a collision course with a brick wall. Funny movie though. Go watch it.

- D.Ha

Swinging Diner

Hey guys, I was going through the Paramore Internet site and browsing through their photos when I came across a picture that I thought correlated well with one of the the subjects of this blog, swinging. I thought the content on the photo was pretty funny, and it was posted by Paramore's lead singer Hayley. Here is the Link. http://www.paramore.net/photo/i-3-swingers-diner-just-noticed-this-on-the-receipt/
-V. Lopez

Dating Survey #1

I asked 100 people to answer a survey about their dating habits. All responses were anonymous and the people who took the survey were asked the following questions (some questions were short answer while others were multiple choice):

1. Are you male or female?
2. How old are you?
3. Please state sexual orientation and relationship status.
4. Would you ever ask a guy/girl out on a date? Or would you wait for them to approach you?
5. What are you physically and emotionally looking for in a partner?
6. What is your opinion on casual sexual relationships (friends with benefits)?
7. How long do you wait to have sex with someone you are dating?
8. What features about yourself do you think men/women are most attracted to?
9. Have you ever cheated on a boyfriend or girlfriend?
10. What are common stereotypes you agree or disagree with?

Fifty-five women took the survey and forty-five men took the survey. The most common age group was 18-25. The oldest person who took the survey was a 46 year old male. Out of the women who surveyed, only 5% of them considered themselves anything other than straight. Three of them identified as bisexual while two women considered themselves to be lesbians. 64% of people who took the survey said they were in a relationship.

When it came to breaking down the answers of the questions regarding dating, men and women answered the questions very differently than one another. 70% of women said that they would wait for someone to approach them and not take the initiative to ask someone on a date. On the other hand, all of the males who answered the survey said they would approach someone. When asked about casual sex relationships, or friends with benefits relationships, 85% of women responded with the answer choice "it works for other people, but not for me." When men were asked the same question, 90% of them chose the answer choice "I am fine with them." In regards to dating, the last question I asked was if they had ever cheated on a boyfriend or girlfriend. Almost 40% of women answered that they have indeed had sexual relationships with someone other than their boyfriend at the time. Surprisingly, only 15% of males said that they have cheated in a relationship.

I threw in some questions about people's perceptions about themselves and their believed perceptions of what males and females thought of them. When asked the question "what features about yourself do you think a male/female is most attracted to?", 79% of women said something regarding their outward appearance (ie: smile, hair, butt, boobs, etc.). In retrospect, 70% of males said something about their personality (ie: sense of humor, romantic, etc.).

I also asked participants to answer questions about their take on common stereotypes of men and women. I asked them to list the stereotypes they agreed with and the stereotypes they disagreed with. Although it does not necessarily relate to dating, most men said "women cannot drive" as a stereotype they agree with. The streotypes they disagreed with were "men always cheat" and "men don't listen." Women mostly agreed with the stereotype that "men are less emotional" and disagreed with the stereotype that "women complain too much."

Ultimately, my findings show that men and women both have very different views on the opposite sex and their approaches to dating. Whether this is caused by socialization through peers or through the media or something else is completely up in the air. I was actually surprised by many of the percentages and am glad that so many people answered all the questions (only one question was left with "No Answer").



-A. Merchant

Literature Review #4: Casual Sex & The Double Standard

Gender Differences and Perceived Gender Differences In Love and Sexual Attitudes
by Laura L. Bettor, B.A., M.A.

Bettor, Laura L. "Gender Differences and Perceived Gender Differences In Love and Sexual Attitudes." Thesis. Texas Tech. University, 1993. Print.

The study performed in this article tested the double standard that says sex is a goal for men and women set sexual limits if they want commitment from men. A group was studied to determine their opinions on casual sex and sexual intercourse in committed relationships. Overall, the study revealed that the effect of emotion played more of a role in the sexual interactions than gender did. It also determined that men tend to be more accepting of casual sex and less judgmental about the people involved than women are. Gender also played a role in the study when women and men both agreed that men use women in casual sexual relationships. However, men say this is a “common situation.” In contrast, women felt a great amount of anger towards males who partake in these types of relationships.


-A. Merchant

Media Influence In Dating (Media Analysis): Part 1

Media is commonly known to be the culprit in pressuring people to maintain and impossible image of perfection. Most American households have access to the internet, or at least a television set, so it is nearly impossible to not succumb to the influences of the media. In a 50-person survey, 100% of men and woman said that they commonly use the internet and watch television. Seventeen out of fifty of those people said that they have felt pressured to mimic the stereotypes portrayed by the media in their dating habits; 13 women and 4 men. To look at the way dating is presented to the public, I bought a seemingly countless number of magazines.

The first magazine I looked at was Cosmopolitan, a publication for women. Without even opening the magazine, I am already able to determine the target audience and the strong emphasis the magazine places on sex and beauty. These words, or words associated with them, are commonly in the largest font and often bolded or italicized to draw the reader's attention. Women that are featured on the cover are often conventionally beautiful sex-pots (ex: Kim Kardashian, Fergie, etc.). As I open the pages of almost 30 Cosmo magazines, I am assaulted by ads and articles about beauty and fashion. Images of women with large boobs, nice butts, and tiny waists are plastered all over. Sometimes I found a Dove campaign that features thicker women advocating "real beauty." Although not surprisingly, many of these fashion articles talk about looks to flatter their bodies. The "date looks" they offered commonly lacked class and refinement; think skirts and shiny tank tops that scream to men, "look at me!" I read Cosmo on the regular, so I am not slamming the magazine by any means, but it is peculiar how the "date" look seems to be more promiscuous than the looks associated with "going out with the girls." These images could easily pressure women to try to be perfect and beautiful when trying to meet or converse with men; and if not, the implication is that you will not ever have a men. The sex articles (featured in the love section??) are almost disturbing. One example is how it says a man would love if you offered to do the laundry or give him a blow job. It strongly emphasizes the euphoria men feel during orgasm and how you should constantly strive to please him. Sometimes it gives advice on how to try and achieve an orgasm for women, but generally it talks about having "hot, dirty sex" with them. All the sex talk implies that men will not think of you as someone they want to be with unless you give it up and you're good at it. One can see how these portrayals could cause women to confuse love with lust in dating situations.

The second magazine I looked at was Maxim, a highly popular men's magazine (for the articles?). Once again, looking at the cover instantly is a dead give away for who they are trying to appeal to. The buxom women on the front are scantily clad, with their bodies misted with water to appear sweaty, hair down. Many men do not argue that these images are nice to look at, but they often don't associate these women with what they are looking for in a companion. Obviously for women, if these are the images men are exposed to and the images that men think are sexy, you want to mimic them for your boyfriend or potential boyfriend. Ultimately, Maxim is the male Cosmopolitan. Stereotypes run rampant in both articles and ad campaigns.

The last magazine I read was Seventeen magazine, targeted towards young women in their teens. There are not nearly as many sexually suggestive articles and photos in the magazine as their are in Cosmopolitan. In fact, it emphasizes the dangers of sex and the precautions you should take. It discusses the pressures a boyfriend or interest may put on you, and it talks about ways to say "no" and talks about prevention if you want to be sexually active. It always talks about how if you are interested in a guy, you can take the initiative. You can send cute texts, go to movies and dinner, etc. It discusses the art of flirting pre-dating and the art of flirting while you are dating to keep things fresh. Nothing too x-rated by any means. The images of women are wholesome, often clothed in cute and conservative looks, and are fresh-faced.

The images are so confusing because for women, it seems like in your teens you should be wholesome and youthful yet pretty, but once you're in your twenties, you need to be a sex kitten ready to pounce on any guy that comes your way in the dating world. It is all very misleading and confusing, and clearly maintaining the image of being the good girl with an edge is hard. Men are under the same kind of pressure. They are being cultivated to be lustful, careless dogs, and yet many of them are struggling with wanting to just settle down with a good girl. The media throws out so many images, but they all conflict with one another. It's hard for women and men to really own their personality and sexuality, and the media does not help but cause more confusion.


-A. Merchant