Hook Up, or Date?

Annotation for: Bradshaw, Carolyn, Arnold S. Kahn, and Bryan K. Saville. "To Hook Up Or Date: Which Gender Benefits?" Sex Roles 62.9-10 (2010): 661-9. ProQuest. Web. 18 Jan. 2014.

The authors acknowledge that dating has been surpassed by hooking up on college campuses. Their research suggests that women benefit more from dating, and that men benefit more from hooking up. Under dating circumstances, the man is in an unfavorable position. Not only does he risk rejection, he must also entertain the woman should she accept his invitation to go out, and then he will likely pay the bill. Additionally, at the end of the night, it is the woman who wields the sexual power. She can decide to accept or reject his affectionate advances. By contrast, under hooking up circumstances, sexual goals are achieved at a much lower cost.

The article goes on to discuss the various pros and cons of each practice for the two genders, with consideration to a variety of other demographic factors such as age, ethnicity, religion, etc. An important point the authors make is that preference for either dating or hooking up largely depends upon the goals of the two individuals—whether they are looking for a long-term relationship or for sexual gratification—and that this can transcend all other factors. The article is written in a language easy to understand but still scientific, and inclusive of extensive statistical measures which lend credibility to the study. Overall, it is a beneficial read for someone just beginning research about the topic.