| Title: | Same-sex sexual attraction does not spread in adolescent social networks |
| Author(s): | Brakefield TA; Mednick SC; Wilson HW; De Neve JE; Christakis NA; Fowler JH; |
| Address: | "Department of Psychology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA, tiffany.brakefield@gmail.com" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10508-013-0142-9 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1573-2800 (Electronic) 0004-0002 (Print) 0004-0002 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Peers have a powerful effect on adolescents' beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Here, we examine the role of social networks in the spread of attitudes towards sexuality using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Although we found evidence that both sexual activity (OR = 1.79) and desire to have a romantic relationship (OR = 2.69) may spread from person to person, attraction to same sex partners did not spread (OR = 0.96). Analyses of comparable power to those that suggest positive and significant peer-to-peer influence in sexual behavior fail to demonstrate a significant relationship on sexual attraction between friends or siblings. These results suggest that peer influence has little or no effect on the tendency toward heterosexual or homosexual attraction in teens, and that sexual orientation is not transmitted via social networks" |
| Keywords: | Adolescent Adolescent Behavior/*psychology Female Friends Humans Longitudinal Studies Male National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health *Peer Group Sex Attractants Sexual Behavior *Sexual Partners *Sexuality Social Networking Social Support; |
| Notes: | "MedlineBrakefield, Tiffany A Mednick, Sara C Wilson, Helen W De Neve, Jan-Emmanuel Christakis, Nicholas A Fowler, James H eng K01 MH080992/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/ P01 AG031093/AG/NIA NIH HHS/ P41 GM103504/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ P01-AG031093/AG/NIA NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural 2013/07/12 Arch Sex Behav. 2014 Feb; 43(2):335-44. doi: 10.1007/s10508-013-0142-9. Epub 2013 Jul 11" |
