Models of sexual behavior posit that both pharmacological and expectancy effects of alcohol contribute to myriad sexual behavior. One type of sexual behavior that has recently garnered significant attention is sexual hookups or sexual behavior with a non-monogamous sexual partner. Online dating, a novel methodology for meeting dating partners, alcohol, and individual difference factors may be mechanisms to encourage greater opportunity for sexual hookups among emerging adult women. Although there is support for alcohol-related sexual hookups being related to proximal negative consequences, hookups can also have positive outcomes. Less is known about whether proximal outcomes of casual sex contribute to longer-term psychopathology and indices of well-being. We recruited 164 single, social drinking post-college women to complete baseline, six weeks of daily diary, and follow up surveys on alcohol use and sexual behavior. Within-person level of intoxication was associated with increased likelihood of engaging in a sexual hookup, while women who used online dating reported lower intoxication during a hookup relative to those who met their partner through other means. Further, subscales of sex-specific alcohol expectancies and impulsivity were differentially associated with proximal negative and positive outcomes of sexual hookups. The proximal negative emotional reactions to sexual hookups were associated with higher depressive symptoms, lower self-esteem, and a desire to decrease future sexual behavior at follow up. Conversely, the proximal positive outcomes of sexual hookups measured in the daily diary surveys were associated with higher self-esteem and autonomy, and fewer depressive symptoms at follow up. Overall, our results highlighted the continuum of experiences women have as a result of exploring their sexuality with casual partners, experiences that are influenced by alcohol, individual differences, and contextual factors.

The culture of alcohol usage in western societies infiltrates almost every aspect of life, including romantic relationships. However, there is minimal research on the impact of drinking in the very early phase of dating relationships. The main objectives of this thesis were to develop greater understanding of the pattern of alcohol usage in the early phase of dating relationships and to explore the consequences of drinking on young adults' relationship quality and subjective experiences. Three studies were performed to address these aims. Study One aimed shed light on the prevalence of alcohol use on dates, the factors that drive individuals' alcohol usage, and the relational impact of such practice. Results from the online questionnaire (n = 282) showed the majority of participants drank on dates. This behaviour was primarily driven by their general drinking tendency and their partners' alcohol usage. The findings also suggest that drinking on dates may affect the level of intimacy experienced by women, but not men. Specifically, women's drinking positively predicted their own feelings of intimacy, but their partners' drinking was negatively associated with women's sense of intimacy. Study Two aimed to extend the findings of the previous study by exploring in depth young adults' experiences on dates using a semi-structured interview approach. A subset of participants from Study One (n = 44) returned for this study. Data were coded and thematically analysed through the lens of the Relational Turbulence Model. Participants expressed an expectation that alcohol usage would have beneficial effects on dating experiences and relationship quality. A range of descriptors of the sense of uncertainty and issues of partner inference that resulted from alcohol usage also emerged from participants' discourse. Together, the results suggested that drinking between dating partners may evoke or reflect turbulence in the relationship. Dating is an interpersonal experience, and the cornerstone of dating research is dyadic investigations. Study Three employed a dyadic design to explore the effects of couples' drinking on both dyad members' feelings of intimacy and experiences of turbulence (n = 66 couples). Results from the paper questionnaire revealed only women's drinking had significant associations with relational outcomes. To the extent that women drank in the absence of their partners, they also reported higher levels of uncertainty. Women's alcohol usage also showed significant relationships with male partners' intimacy. Specifically, men's intimacy was negatively associated with women's alcohol usage outside of the relationship, but was positively associated with women's drinking in their presence. The consistency and discrepancy in the findings across the three studies are discussed. Overall, results demonstrated diverse and complex associations between drinking, intimacy, and turbulence in the early phase of dating relationships. Implications for theories, relationship advisors and dating couples, and future research are provided. An additional study that extends the exploration of dating and relationship experiences to a group of individuals who consumed alcohol at heavy and pathological levels is presented in the Clinical Practicum Appendix.

A link between binge drinking, negative sexual health outcomes, and sexual victimization among university populations is well established in the research literature (Messman-Moore et al., 2013; PHAC, 2016; Smith et al., 2009). Despite these known risks, young people often hold beliefs that alcohol consumption can enhance or facilitate their sexual experiences, however, less is known about the role of alcohol in young women's consensual sexual experiences. In this qualitative study, I used a feminist perspective to explore young women's perceptions and experiences of the role of alcohol in their sexual agency ? the ability to communicate and fulfill their sexual desires and boundaries ? and the social norms that influence this relationship. I collected data through interviews with 14 young university women between the ages of 19 and 25 who identified as heterosexual, lesbian, bisexual, or queer. Participants identified heteronormative sexuality norms that influence the role of alcohol in their sexual agency, namely the prioritization of women's sexual inexperience, female sexual fidelity, and women's attractiveness. Participants perceived that alcohol influenced their sexual agency at an individual and social level. In their individual experiences, participants discussed the dis-inhibitory effects of alcohol as a ¢toolo to alleviate feelings of shame associated with sexual expression and negative body image. At a social level, participants used alcohol as a means to deflect social stigma associated sexual expression as they could ¢blame the alcoholo as their motivation for engaging in sexual activity. These findings suggest that young women's motivations for drinking may be linked to sexuality norms that discourage young women's sexual agency, which could be relevant to consider in health promotion and harm reduction efforts.

The prevalence of heavy alcohol use increases across adolescence and young adulthood, creating risks for health and development. Social relationships, including friendships and romantic and sexual relationships, may influence adolescent and young adult alcohol use. Understanding diverse social influences on heavy alcohol use in adolescence and young adulthood is important for preventing heavy alcohol use and its associated negative consequences. In this dissertation, I examined how diverse social relationships are associated with heavy alcohol use during adolescence and young adulthood. By incorporating multiple relationships and exploring multiple mechanisms of social influence, this dissertation advances understanding of both who matters for heavy alcohol use in adolescence/young adulthood, and how those individuals matter.In Paper 1, I used data from PROSPER to examine the unique associations of close others frequency of drunkenness, unstructured socializing, and alcohol-related attitudes with adolescents (ages 13-18) own frequency of drunkenness. I distinguished between the contributions of romantic partners, friends, and romantic partners friends in order to determine whether these potential sources of influence have unique associations with drunkenness. When examined separately, close others frequency of drunkenness, alcohol-related attitudes, and unstructured socializing each predicted adolescents own frequency of drunkenness. However, in a combined model, only friends frequency of drunkenness contributed independently to adolescents frequency of drunkenness. Furthermore, unstructured socializing with friends predicted increased frequency of drunkenness as adolescents aged. In Paper 2, I assessed how romantic partners binge drinking and negative alcohol-related consequences are associated with changes in young adults (ages 18-24 at baseline) own binge drinking using data from Add Health. I also explored whether relationship type (dating, cohabiting, or married) moderated these associations. Young adults increased their binge drinking frequency over six years if their partner binge drank more frequently at baseline. In addition, individuals increased their binge drinking frequency if their partners experienced more negative alcohol-related consequences at baseline; however, this association was no longer significant after controlling for additional variables. None of the associations measured differed by relationship type.In Paper 3, I used data from the University Life Study to examine how sexual behavior with committed romantic and casual sexual partners, and with and without heavy alcohol use, is associated with daily fluctuations in college students affect. Sexual behavior was associated with increases in positive affect and decreases in negative affect. These improvements in affect did not differ according to heavy alcohol use, sexual partner type, or interactions of these variables with each other or with semester in college.Overall, the results of this dissertation highlight the importance of friends in determining adolescents heavy alcohol use and the importance of romantic/sexual partners in determining young adults heavy alcohol use. The mechanisms of social influence on heavy alcohol use differ between friendships and romantic relationships and across developmental stages. Findings suggest that prevention strategies may differ when addressing friends versus romantic partners potential influences on heavy alcohol use.

Breaking through many misconceptions about casual sex on college campuses, Hooking Up is the first book to understand the new sexual culture on its own terms, with vivid real-life stories of young men and women as they navigate the newest sexual revolution.

Few things come more naturally to us than sex—or so it would seem. Yet to a chimpanzee, the sexual practices and customs we take for granted would appear odd indeed. He or she might wonder why we bother with inconveniences like clothes, why we prefer to make love on a bed, and why we fuss so needlessly over privacy. Evolution and Human Sexual Behavior invites us into the thought-experiment of imagining human sex from the vantage point of our primate cousins, in order to underscore the role of evolution in shaping all that happens, biologically and behaviorally, when romantic passions are aroused. Peter Gray and Justin Garcia provide an interdisciplinary synthesis that draws on the latest discoveries in evolutionary theory, genetics, neuroscience, comparative primate research, and cross-cultural sexuality studies. They are our guides through an exploration of the patterns and variations that exist in human sexuality, in chapters covering topics ranging from the evolution of sex differences and reproductive physiology to the origins of sexual play, monogamous unions, and the facts and fictions surrounding orgasm. Intended for generally curious readers of all stripes, this up-to-date, one-volume survey of the evolutionary science of human sexual behavior explains why sexuality has remained a core fascination of human beings throughout time and across cultures.

Over the past few decades, various types of hate material have caused increasing concern. Today, the scope of hate is wider than ever, as easy and often-anonymous access to an enormous amount of online content has opened the Internet up to both use and abuse. By providing possibilities for inexpensive and instantaneous access without ties to geographic location or a user identification system, the Internet has permitted hate groups and individuals espousing hate to transmit their ideas to a worldwide audience. Online Hate and Harmful Content focuses on the role of potentially harmful online content, particularly among young people. This focus is explored through two approaches: firstly, the commonality of online hate through cross-national survey statistics. This includes a discussion of the various implications of online hate for young people in terms of, for example, subjective wellbeing, trust, self-image and social relationships. Secondly, the book examines theoretical frameworks from the fields of sociology, social psychology and criminology that are useful for understanding online behaviour and online victimisation. Limitations of past theory are assessed and complemented with a novel theoretical model linking past work to the online environment as it exists today. An important and timely volume in this ever-changing digital age, this book is suitable for graduates and undergraduates interested in the fields of Internet and new media studies, social psychology and criminology. The analyses and findings of the book are also particularly relevant to practitioners and policy-makers working in the areas of Internet regulation, crime prevention, child protection and social work/youth work.