Adolescents and sex: A structural theory of premarital sex in the United States

This article shows that the rising rate of premarital sex during this century can be accounted for by changes in American social structure. The gap between puberty and marriage has increased, allowing more time for sex to occur. The pervasiveness of sex in the media and at home provides young people with role models who teach about sex. The social antonomy of the young has increased, allowing more opportunity for sex. Medical advances and legal changes have made sex safe. Egalitarian sex role norms have eliminated the double standard, which means that sex need not be withheld during courtship. And the norm of premarital sexual abstinance has declined. It is argued that most of these changes reflect progress and that rising rates of premarital sex are unintended by products.