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Emily Regalado
English 114B
Professor Kubler
23 March 2015
The Hook-Up Culture Essay
Based on my analysis, using different articles on studies of adolescent behavior,
comparing cultural differences, and viewing a social medium, I have found that the hook
up culture will never grow out of popularity between adolescents, and adults alike. Today,
teenagers have been more inclined to hook up, rather than to date. Dating a person, which
is known as going on several dates with someone, and identifying their particular
relationship, or labeling, has completely diminished within these past few years.
Whether it is continuing a relationship with somebody or having a one-night-stand with
him or her and retaining an exclusive relationship has become somewhat taboo. The ideal
relationship no longer exists in the teen world, and it is caused by our hyper-sexualized
society. On behalf of some researchers, one can sum up that hooking up is an ambiguous
topic, and the clarity behind it is mixed between the sexes. It is noted that the definitions
and connotations of hooking up are different to any one person. The message behind
hook ups is relative to having fun without being committed, and has become an epidemic
because of lack of interest to a person, and the ideal of being able to have sex with
someone, and have no emotional attachment to them. Without a doubt, our hypersexualized society has completely changed individuals views on sexuality, and may or
may not have altered their mindset, but it can also help spread awareness to the younger
generation.

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In one study, 3 groups of teens were asked their definition of hooking up, after
viewing models and possible scenarios. Cluster 1 claimed that hooking up was
considered to be having sex (plus making out), Cluster 2 found it to be of personal and
social interpretations and Cluster 3 believed that only certain sexual acts were considered
hooking up. This exclaimed whether there were multiple definitions of hooking up
among college students and how different definitions might be associated with the
participants own hooking up behavior and normative perceptions of peer hooking up
behavior. (Lewis). As an attempt to connect relationships to hook ups, it is noted that the
broad views behind hooking up show that if a person agrees to a hook up, they agree to
no emotional attachment, just sex and sexual encounters.
In this article, one study performed by undergraduate college students, shows that
mainly both sexes had almost double amount of hookups than to first dates. In fact, their
definition of hooking up is interpreted as, a wide range of sexual behaviors, such as
kissing, oral sex and penetrative intercourse. However, these encounters often transpire
without any promise [of a commitment]. A review of literature suggests that these
encounters are becoming increasingly normative among adolescents and young adults in
North America, representing a marked shift in openness and acceptance of uncommitted
sex. (Garcia). Between exposure to sex and remaining committed or abstinent, it is
described to be of a divided topic. Whereas the idea behind purity and remaining
abstinent, or keeping your sexuality to yourself, has vanished profusely. It has now
become socially acceptable to have multiple partners, and emotionally accepted to have
no sense of attachment to your partner.

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In this article (evidence produced by other articles), it was found that at least 40%
of college students hooked up three or fewer times, an additional 40% admitted between
four to nine times, and every one in five students have hooked up more than ten times
throughout college. (Armstrong 2009) The acts itself can occur only once, presumably a
one-night-stand, or can reoccur multiple times, as with the same partner. Those that
repeatedly hook up can consider themselves fuck buddies, or friends with benefits,
both eliminating the sense of a relationship. It is defined as, casual sexual contact
between non-dating partners without an [expressed or acknowledged] expectation of
forming a committed relationship.(Heldman). Because of this, college students are the
evidential beginning to adolescents exposed to sex. They are more likely to continue their
hook ups throughout college, where it seems the be goldmine for strictly sex
relationships.
In Persepolis, Marjane is exposed to extreme hyper-sexuality, being that she grew
up in Iran an extremely conservative society, and now living in Europe she was exposed
to drugs, sex and partying. Her friend, Julie, is part of the hook up culture, depicting
Marjane as the good virgin. Oh, youre the pure, timid, innocent virgin who does her
homework. Im not like that. Ive been having sex for five years. Ive already slept with
eighteen guys: Fabrice, Olivier, Laurent, Luc, Jean-Marc, another Laurent, SebastienI
was shocked. In my country, even when you had sex before marriage, you hid it. As she
got older, she was determined to lose her virginity. Until that night, my relationship with
Enrique was strictly platonic. I had grown up in a country where the sex act was never
consummated until after marriagebut this night was different. I felt ready to lose my
innocence. Culture plays a strong role behind a teenagers hyper-sexuality. If there were

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no belief behind sexuality, the likeliness of a teenager being curious to a world so distant
from them would just be a figure of imagination. A teen who grew up in an extremely
conservative society where showing a piece of their head could, set a guy off, and later
thrown into a place where sexuality is highly praised, then the teen would be drawn to
that part of a hyper-sexualized society.
Nevertheless, any teen can say that the hook up culture can benefit them
completely (not just the sex part). They can see it as an empowering feeling, knowing
they dont have to deal with this person for any other reason besides sex. This can help a
person who wants to experiment, and consider their options, before committing.
Hooking up is fun! Its exciting. This is college, after all. Were supposed to make out
with strangers. Were supposed to have no-strings-attached fun. Were supposed to be
selfish. That is what were told, is making the most of our time hereSo, if taking home
a different male/ or female every weekend genuinely makes you happy and fulfilled, then
thats awesome. You do you, and anyone else you want to, too. (UWIRE). Those that see
hooking up as a form of expression, so be it. To others, the hook up culture can be too
intense, and certainly give them issues.
Crazy, Stupid, Love, describes three different love connections, between Cal
and Emily (married/ separated), Jacob and Hannah (womanizer and daughter) and Cal
and Kate (one-night-stand/ affair). Cal and Kate went home together from a bar, and
engaged in sex after Cal admitted to trying to move on from his cheating wife. Asshole,
as in someone who says they are going to call but never does. Asshole, as in someone
who uses honesty to get a woman into bed with him, and is actually full of shit, like the
rest of them! This shows that not all one-night-stands can be all fun. A person who is not

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highly engaged in the hook up culture, may not know the rules behind one-nightstands, which are entirely one-night and are never acknowledged again. Between Jacob
and Hannah, Jacob brings home girls every night from the bar to have sex with them.
Hannah, not a hook up person, turns down Jacob because she knows his capabilities and
the idea behind bar hook ups, which is, just sex.
The hook up culture has driven adolescents and children to engaging in sexual
acts without commitment. This can down-set the idea behind relationships, and promote
promiscuousness within teens. In college, the topic of popularity is about sex, and it
usually relates to the lack of sense of entitlement to a person. This can either empower a
person, or can evidently ruin their mindset on finding a partner whom they can commit
to.

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Works Cited
Lewis, MA, DC Atkins, JA Blayney, DV Dent, and DL Kaysen. "What is Hooking Up?
Examining Definitions of Hooking Up in Relation to Behavior and Normative
Perceptions." Journal of Sex Research, 50.8 (2013): 757-766.
Garcia, Justin R, Chris Reiber, Sean G Massey, and Ann M Merriwether. "Sexual
Hookup Culture: A Review." Review of General Psychology, 16.2 (2012): 161176.
Heldman, Caroline, and Lisa Wade. "Hook-Up Culture: Setting a New Research
Agenda." Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 7.4 (2010): 323-333.
Satrapi, Marjane. The Complete Persepolis. New York: Pantheon, 2003. Print.
Crazy, Stupid, Love. Dir. Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. Perf. Steve Carrell,
Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, and Emma Stone. Warner Bros., 2011. DVD.
"Let's talk about hook-up culture." UWIRE Text 13 Feb. 2014: 1. Expanded Academic
ASAP. Web. 24 Mar. 2015.