"Fifty Shades" and Reported Sexual Consent: A Study with Female College Students
Exposure to Fifty Shades has been associated with different sexual outcomes in women. In this study, we were particularly interested in understanding if exposure to Fifty Shades, and women's relationship status, was related to different levels of sexual consent in college women: internal consent (feelings when women consent to sex) and external consent (overt behaviors and verbal communication when they consent to sex) Five hundred and forty female college students, aged between 18 and 25 years, were enrolled in an online survey assessing visual exposure and reading of Fifty Shades, levels of satisfaction with the exposure/reading, and sexual consent. Findings revealed that respondents in the double exposure condition (exposure to the film and books) reported more cues of physical activation and readiness when they consent to sex, as compared with participants in the no exposure condition. Furthermore, respondents enrolled in a relationship reported more safety and comfort, as well as more arousal and readiness than single participants. Findings should be interpreted with caution given their cross sectional nature.
Sexuality Culture