Social Media and its Influence on Sexual Activity and Perceptions of Sexual Activity Among College Students

Baldwin-White, A., Darville, G., Shira Chess, & Beer, J. (in press) “Social Media and its Influence on Sexual Activity and Perceptions of Sexual Activity Among College Students,” Journal of American College Health.

Abstract: As social media becomes an increasingly popular vector for young adults – and college students in particular – it is necessary to consider the role social media plays in establishing the norms college students adopt and the behavior they participate in. In this study, we use mixed-methods research to consider the relationship between social media use, sexual behavior, and perceptions of the sexual behavior of peers. Specifically, this study focuses on the use of the current four most popular social media sites at the time of data collection, March and April of 2019: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Results of the study indicate that social media, indeed, influenced the behavior of college students regarding their sexual activity and perception of peer sexual activity. Furthermore, we found that each specific social media platform influence and predict sexual activity to varying degrees.