Abstract

This thesis explores the relationship between college students' attitudes about premarital sex and their gender, race, socioeconomic status, and religiosity. College students' knowledge about AIDS risk behaviors, perceptions of AIDS, and the effects of those on their attitudes about premarital sex are also examined. This study was accomplished by distributing questionnaires, which measured attitudes about premarital sex, gender, race, socioeconomic status, religiosity, knowledge of AIDS risk behaviors, perceptions of AIDS, and the effects of those on attitudes about premarital sex, to 300 college students at The College of Wooster. A 30 percent return rate was received. Results showed that relationships between college students' attitudes about premarital sex and gender, race, and socioeconomic status did not exist. A moderate relationship between religiosity and attitudes about male premarital sex and a significant relationship between religiosity and attitudes about female premarital sex was indicated. Results also showed that adequate knowledge of AIDS risk behaviors and the perception of AIDS as a very serious disease did not affect attitudes about premarital sex. Because the risk of contracting HIV is rapidly growing for young adults, future research is suggested to determine ways of stopping the spread of AIDS within the adolescent and young adult populations in the United States.

Advisor

Hurst, Charles

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

Publication Date

1994

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 1994 Marianne D. Moore