College students’ hookup motivations as predictors of the positivity and negativity of their most recent hookup experience

Abstract

Objective: Previous research has found that college students experience both positive and negative outcomes after a hookup. The present study examined the role that hookup motives and sex play in determining the overall positivity and negativity of the experience. Participants: College students (N = 156) completed an online survey about their most recent hookup. Method: The survey assessed hookup motivations and outcomes. Results: Lower coping motives and higher social-sexual, relationship-seeking, and enhancement motives predicted more positive outcomes. Higher coping motives and lower social-sexual, conformity, and enhancement motives predicted more negative outcomes. For men, positive outcomes were correlated with weaker enhancement motives, while negative outcomes were correlated with more enhancement motives. For women, higher levels of positive outcomes were positively correlated with enhancement, social-sexual, and relationship-seeking motives, while negative outcomes were negatively correlated with social-sexual, enhancement, and coping motives. Conclusions: The results of this study have implications for risk prevention and future research.

Keywords:

• College students
• hookup outcomes
• hookup motivation
• hookups
• sexual motivation
• sex differences

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States of America and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of University Wisconsin-Platteville.

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.