A sociological analysis of Scottish students' attitudes to, and experiences of, casual sex and the 'hookup culture.'

Abstract

This research is a small scale, phenomenological study which explores Scottish students' attitudes to, and experiences of, casual sex and the 'hookup culture.' Casual sex has become more common than traditional dating within university campuses, as over 80% of North American students have reported experiencing a one-night stand (Bogle, 2008). Research suggests that students are having casual sex in what is increasingly characterised as a 'hookup culture' on campus (Meier and Asencio, 2015). The hookup culture signifies an environment or institution where casual sexual activity is relatively high, however, commitment is low (Bogle, 2008). As yet, there is a poverty of research which explores the particular experiences of the 'hookup culture' amongst Scottish students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with two male and two female students in Edinburgh. All of the participants provided an in depth and detailed account of their lived experiences and perceptions of casual sex and the hookup culture. This research, which employs a phenomenological theoretical and methodological approach revealed four key aspects of students' perceptions and experiences: 1) Casual sex as a feature of transient student life, 2) The convenience and virtual reality of casual sex, 3) The gendered rules of engagement 4) Alcohol, invisibility and regretful casual sex.