Is There Really a Link Between Self-Esteem and Casual Sex?
Despite conventional wisdom, research suggests otherwise
We’ve all heard the notion that someone who engages in casual sex is doing it not because they actually enjoy the sexual activity, but because they are being driven by low self-esteem that propels them into the arms, and the beds, of strangers.
People who enjoy casual sex obviously have their doubts about this idea, but also researchers question the wisdom of this alleged connection.
“Stereotypes like this can have serious consequences in the real world.”
“We were surprised that this stereotype was so widely held,” said researcher Jaimie Arona Krems, who explored this topic in a study published in Psychological Science. “This stereotype was held by both women and men, liberals and conservatives, and across the spectrum in terms of people’s levels of religiosity and sexism.”
To look into this stereotype, Krems and her colleagues conducted a series of surveys with about 1,500 participants to find out their views on how low self-esteem is connected to engaging in casual sex. In one survey, participants were asked to read about the sex lives of male, female, and unspecified characters who engaged in…
