Determinants of Premarital Sexual Permissiveness: A Secondary Analysis

Ira L. Reiss formulated the hypothesis that among persons whose general style of life is 'conservative' there is a negative relationship between social class and premarital sexual permissiveness whereas for persons having a generally liberal style of life, this relationship would be positive. In this article the evidence presented in favor of this theory is challenged. Two alternative rationales for the theory are presented. The results did not confirm the theory. By way of elaboration and contrasting-groups analyses some determinants of permissiveness regarding premarital sexual relationships were then isolated. They appeared to be: (a) Religion, with liberalism-conservatism as an interpreting variable, (b) Age, with liberalism-conservatism only partly interpreting, (c) As weak determinants: residence (along the urban-rural continuum) and sex.