title: Testing two process models of religiosity and sexual behavior.
abstract: Adolescents who are more religious are less likely to have sex, but the process by which religiosity impacts sexual behavior is not well established. We tested two potential processes, involving: (1) whether religiosity suppressed individuals' motivations to have sex for physical pleasure, and (2) whether individuals internalized their religions' teachings about sex for pleasure. College students (N = 610, 53.8% female, M age = 18.5, 26.1% Hispanic Latino [HL], 14.9% non-HL African American, 23.8% non-HL Asian American/Pacific Islander, 26.3% non-HL European American and 8.9% non-HL multiracial) completed web surveys during their first three semesters. Religiosity did not moderate the association between students' motivations for sex for pleasure and sexual behavior. Motivations mediated the association between religiosity and sexual behavior, suggesting that religion does not override adolescents' existing motivations, but instead, religious adolescents internalize norms about sexual behavior. Testing Two Process Models of Religiosity and Sexual Behavior.
authors.affiliation: The Prevention Research Center and Methodology Center, Pennsylvania State University, USA. svasilenko@psu.edu
authors.forename: Sara A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Vasilenko
authors.forename: Christina I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Duntzee
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Eva S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Lefkowitz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D009511:New England; D057181:Pleasure; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012071:Religion and Sex; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Motivations for sex; Religiosity; Sexual behavior