The Social Context of Morality Standards Among Anglophone Canadian Students

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between profession and practice in respect to premarital intercourse. The sample of 761 respondents was drawn from University and Vocational School students in Alberta and Ontario. Four morality standards were identified: the abstinence standard; the double standard; the love standard; and the fun standard. Cross-tabulation of respondents in terms of their professed sexual standards and their behavioral sexual standards gave rise to a series of meaningful types (including “regretful celibate” and “reluctant non-virgin”). Profiles of these various types were drawn, using available background data. These data were interpreted as suggesting that despite increasing sexual emancipation, there is yet indication of the rating, dating, dalliance, and exploitation patterns described by Waller many years ago, si nee women more frequently identify with the abstinence and love standards, while men more frequently identify with the double and fun standards. Our data suggest that there is yet no clear indication which of these two sets of standards will become preeminent.