Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Date of Graduation
5-8-2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science (BS)
Department
School of Communication Studies
Advisor(s)
Tobias J. Reynolds-Tylus
Sharlene T. Richards
Jennifer J. PeeksMease
Abstract
This study aimed to understand the relationship between college-aged young adults’ memorable messages from parents about sex and their sexual beliefs and behaviors. Previously studied memorable message themes from Holman and Koenig Kellas (2018) were adapted to collect quantitative data from respondents (N = 420) through an online, self-report questionnaire. Students’ recalled conversations with their parent(s) were widely consistent with Holman and Koenig Kellas’s (2018) six themes. Ultimately, the memorable message theme was found to have no significant relationship with participants’ attitudes, intentions, self-efficacy, or response efficacy for safer sexual behaviors. However, those who recalled messages consistent with the theme of wait had significantly higher rape myth acceptance than those who recalled conversations with the theme of safety or comprehensive talk. Additionally, women were found to have more positive attitudes and higher response efficacy than men for certain safer sexual behaviors, and men were found to have higher rape myth acceptance.
Recommended Citation
Ryan, Caroline D., "Memorable messages and young adults’ sexual beliefs and behaviors" (2020). Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current. 6.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/honors202029/6
