Dating desires and experiences: a new approach to an old question

Abstract

The sexual and affectional attitudes and experiences of Australian adolescents were assessed using independent psychosexual and psychoaffectional scales. Subjects were drawn from a wide range of backgrounds and were in the age range 16–25 years. The influence of the stage of dating, the migrant status of both the respondents and their parents, and the place of residence (urban vs. rural) of respondents were assessed. The code of ‘permissiveness–with–affection’ was found to apply as the dating relationship became more involved. Migrant status was found to have little influence on either the sexual or affectional orientation to dating. Urban youth were more sexually experienced than rural youth although their sexual attitudes and affectional orientations to dating were similar. It is suggested that there may be greater opportunity for urban youth to express their sexual desires than for rural youth.