To evaluate the differential effects of casual sex on men and women, a sample of 404 undergraduate student at a large public university in the southeastern United States were surveyed.
Men who engaged in casual sex reported the lowest rates of depression, while women who engaged in casual sex reported the highest rates of depression. Furthermore, depression rates increased for women based on their partner count. Women who had only 1 partner in the past year had a depression rate of 15.1%, while women who had a partner count of 16-28 in the past year had a depression rate of 45%.
The authors note that men and women experience casual sexual encounters differently, and that for women, having emotional investment in the encounter tends to make it more rewarding.
Discussion:
In light of what is known about female intrasexual competition especially in order to maintain a reputation of chastity and loyalty (qualities necessary to attract a highly valuable man since men value sexual exclusivity and certainty about their parenthood), it is conceivable that evolved intra-sexual competition in slut shaming among women and girls explain this pattern.
Quotes:
- Depressive symptoms were associated with engaging in casual sex differently for males and females.
- Males who engaging in casual sex reported the fewest symptoms of depression and females who had a history of casual sex reported the most depressive symptoms.
- For females, as the number of sexual partners during the past year increased, symptoms of depression also increased. Female participants who had the greatest number of partners had the highest symptoms of depressive pathology.
- Those who engaged in casual sex and regretted having the encounter had more symptoms of depression.
- For females, emotional investment is far more important, and sexual intercourse is often rewarding in contexts that command intimacy and emotional commitment.