While many of us will be shortly heading off on vacation with our long-term partner, others will be using the summer months to enjoy a casual fling. But what influences some of us to settle down, while others prefer a string of one-night stands?
Although culture, religion, personal values, and gender all play a role — and previous research suggests that men are more open in their attitudes toward casual sex than are women, new research has found that our sense of self could also influence how quickly we’ll jump into bed with someone.
[post_ads]Carried out by researchers from Brunel University London, UK, and Syracuse University, USA, the new study surveyed 603 people from six different cultures in order to compare their self-concepts and personal values to their sexual attitudes and behaviours.
After also taking into account the participants’ different genders, ages, cultures, religions, and levels of education, the researchers found that there was a link between how much we let others define us and our preference for casual relationships.
“Individuals’ attitudes towards casual sex may be rooted in their self-concept,” commented Professor David Schmitt, co-author of the study. “Those who view themselves as being independent of others are more apt to engage in casual sex.”
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The researchers explained that these independent types value highly their personal autonomy, and although they want to emotionally connect, they want these connections with less interference from their friends, families and communities.
On the other hand, people with a more ‘interdependent self,’ who mostly think of themselves in terms of their relationships with friends, families and communities, tend to have less casual sex and value their autonomy much less. The team suggested that they may be more comfortable with others influencing their life choices, or perhaps because of their emotional closeness to so many others they are not interested in fleeting relationships and uncommitted sex.
“Interdependence and independence aside, one lesson is clear,” said Prof Schmitt, “whether it’s with one person or many, people desire at least some type of interpersonal bond and they will seek it with or without guidance from others.”
