Lauren Newmyer, Assistant Professor, Sociology, Bowling Green State University
Title: The Complex Dynamic Between Sexual Non-Exclusivity and Pregnancy Desire
Abstract: Romantic relationships often assume monogamy, but concurrent sexual relations are not uncommon. Our study examines the relationship between sexual non-exclusivity and family building desires in a group of young women. Building on theories of social exchange, we hypothesize how sexual non-exclusivity is associated with pregnancy desire across different types of relationships. Unique high frequency data allow us to track women’s sexual behavior, the perception of their partners’ sexual behavior, and pregnancy desire across different relationships weekly over two and a half years. Fixed effects regression results suggest that the impact of sexual non-exclusivity on pregnancy desire is time varying. In the immediate aftermath of sexual non-exclusivity (either their own or their partner’s), women decrease their pregnancy desire. Over time some of these patterns diverge. Women's repeated sexual non-exclusivity is negatively associated with pregnancy desire, suggesting a divestment in the relationship. An ongoing partner’s sexual non-exclusivity, however, is positively related with pregnancy desire: perhaps this evidences a strategy to desire a child to increase investments in the relationship and possible stability of the union. This positive association between perceived sexual non-exclusivity and pregnancy desire is strongest in highly committed relationships, contexts where there has likely been heavy investments in relationship-specific capital.
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