Can Students View Parents as Sexual Beings?

There has been considerable discussion in our society regarding parents' inability to be accepting of their children's sexuality. This research, based on approximately 650 college student questionnaires, suggests that it is also quite difficult for youth to think of their parents as sexual beings. The students' estimates of their parents' sexual behavior disagreed significantly with research data on the sexual behavior of parent-age populations. Statistical analyses were conducted on comparisons between students' estimates and Kinsey's data, and on the differential effects of certain student demographic variables. The findings suggest that the so-called generation gap concerning sexuality represents reciprocal misunderstanding.