Predicting Intentions to Engage in Casual Sex

The objective of this study was to test the usefulness of the Triandis model of interpersonal behavior for explaining the formation of intentions to engage in casual sex (i.e. the likelihood that the respondent would, when they were out to have a good time, have sex with someone he or she had just met). Data were collected from 305 university students (243 female, 62 male). The Triandis model explained 44 percent of the variance in casual sex intentions. The strongest influences on intentions to engage in casual sex were personal standards, situational expectations and previous casual sex experience. Also, peer endorsement of casual sex was significant for men. The results indicate that the Triandis multivariate model is very effective in explaining sexual intentions. Hopefully, this study will encourage other researchers to investigate the under-explored topic of casual sex.