Cognitive Frameworks of Virginity and First Intercourse

Research has begun to examine the subjective meanings of virginity and first coitus, but little is known about how these understandings influence the first sexual intercourse event. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between virginity scripts and the approach taken and decisions made during first coitus. A quantitative measure of virginity interpretations (as gift, stigma, or process) was developed based on Carpenter's (2001 Carpenter , L. M. ( 2001 ). The ambiguity of “having sex”: The subjective experience of virginity loss in the United States . The Journal of Sex Research , 38 , 127 – 139 . doi: 10.1080/00224490109552080 [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 2005 Carpenter , L. M. ( 2005 ). Virginity lost: An intimate portrait of first sexual experiences . New York , NY : New York University Press . [Google Scholar]) qualitative interviews. Participants were university students (184 women and 31 men), all of whom had experienced consensual first penile–vaginal intercourse. Participants completed a quantitative questionnaire in the lab. Fifty-four percent of participants classified themselves as process oriented, 37.7% as gift oriented, and 8.4% as stigma oriented at the time of first coitus. The virginity scripts or frameworks were found to be related to age at first coitus, partner choice, length of relationship with first partner, planning, affective reaction to first coitus, and perceived impact on life. Virginity frameworks were unrelated to contraceptive use at first coitus. Results from this study suggest that Carpenter's virginity frameworks can be successfully translated into quantitative measures that support links between how individuals interpret their virginity and the decisions they make at first coitus.