Highschool sociology project - TEEN SEX INSIDE!

[jake williams]

Okay, so here's the situation.

I am in my last year of high school (whoo!). I am in a sociology class. I was in primary when my mom was doing her B.A. in sociology, I used to occasionally go to her classes, I've read a number of her textbooks, we talk about it, and so on. So I've rather grown up with the discipline.

We have to do a summative project, basically we have to do interviews or surveys to analyze some question, you know, original research, like real social scientists do!

Now, I know exactly the topic I'd like to do. I want to talk to a number of heterosexual males and females, preferably high school students because it would be more pertinent and interesting for the class. I want to do two sets of interviews. In one, I ask both about female heterosexuality - what are women attracted to, what do they like, what do they do, that sort of thing. In the other set, I ask both about male heterosexuality - again, what are they attracted to, what do they like, what do they do, and so on.

It's a very interesting topic, and done properly, I think it could potentially generate a number of interesting topics. Better yet, my teacher sounds not only okay with it, but almost excited. From the sounds of it she gets very bored with very bland topics, do violent movies lead to violent behaviour and do drugs lead to bad grades, that sort of thing. She'd like something edgy she think might get attention. And I'm really not taking the titillation approach, I just think it's a sociologically interesting thing, and something probably very important to gain a better understanding of.

The trouble is, well there are a great number of things that I think this a very difficult sort of study to do, in terms of acquiring accurate data, and that's why I'm coming here. In lieu of a number of very long paragraphs, I'm just going to summarize point-form like:


I'm a male. May/will make it difficult to interview women/girls.
Just in general, I'm asking very intimate questions.
Sort of as a consequence of that, there's a big problem of anonymity, and I have no idea how I might make this properly anonymous. I'd prefer to do interviews with comfortable, open, honest people, but that's not really the situation I'm in or the study wouldn't be worthwhile.
There's a big problem of self-selection bias.
For a number of reasons teenagers are complicated to do. I may resort to tracking down people at the university down the wee, but I'd rather not have to.
One sort of complicated question is, when I ask people about their own sex, whether I, say, ask men to talk about themselves, or about men in general. The results might be quite different, the difference itself warranting a separate study. Which is most useful to this project is very difficult to decide. Part of me believes people describing themselves will be more honest, I think a lot of people believe their own sexuality is atypical. On the other hand there's much less pressure on people who say they're describing others' sexuality, they don't have to necessarily be saying things about themselves. Obviously though, a lot of people might assume things they say about others will be assumed to be based on their individual experiences. So it's tricky either way.


There's probably even a couple more I can't remember off the top of my head. The main thing I'm asking about is the technical question of managing anonymity, partly because I think there's more experience in general with that than with the sex-specific questions. Help with those, however, would also be much appreciated. Especially appreciated would be specific studies where researchers have had to deal with these types of issues.

Any thoughts?

[mikelepore]

It's best to phrase a hypothesis in a way that generates numbers. Hypothesis: that more than half of this population group will report this, whereas less than half of that other population group will report some other thing, moreso that what chance alone could explain, a statistically significant difference, and here is the calculation of the correlation coefficient.

For anonymity, the rules of academic honesty say is olay to make up new names. "A 20-year-old urban female, whom I shall call Natasha in this report, and a 20-year-old rural male whom I shall call Boris, ...."

[jake williams]

It's best to phrase a hypothesis in a way that generates numbers. Hypothesis: that more than half of this population group will report this, whereas less than half of that other population group will report some other thing, moreso that what chance alone could explain, a statistically significant difference, and here is the calculation of the correlation coefficient.
I don't know if that's really applicable to the sort of data that will come out. We'll see though.


For anonymity, the rules of academic honesty say is olay to make up new names. "A 20-year-old urban female, whom I shall call Natasha in this report, and a 20-year-old rural male whom I shall call Boris, ...."
I know that, but what I'm concerned about is people feeling that they're anonymous to me - people who don't feel that I know identifiable personal details about them. I'm not a professional anthropologist, and a lot of the people I might end up interviewing are people I may actually know personally.

[apathy maybe]

I don't know if that's really applicable to the sort of data that will come out. We'll see though.


I know that, but what I'm concerned about is people feeling that they're anonymous to me - people who don't feel that I know identifiable personal details about them. I'm not a professional anthropologist, and a lot of the people I might end up interviewing are people I may actually know personally.

Conduct the interviews via a faceless medium, such as instant messaging or email, using an account established by you for that purpose.

Actually, may I suggest two things, the first is that you find an assistant, ASAP. This person will deal with all the face to face things. Secondly, find two computers, two rooms and connect the two computers into a network, but not connected to anything else.

You be in one room, the assistant introduces the individual into the second room and explains how the interview will be conducted, gets them to sign the paper etc.

They then leave, the interview is conducted (and recorded, the computer will do that automatically), and they leave. The screen is then cleared, and the next person comes in.

May require assistance from your teacher to set it up etc.

Edit:
The first few questions you ask would relate to the person's gender identity, their age and whatever other controlling factors you think are needed.
The questions would be exactly the same each time, as you would be copy and pasting them.

The person being interviewed will never know if you are male or female. (When advertising your project, don't say who is running it, and don't tell people what you are doing for the class.)

[jake williams]

Apathy those are some great ideas, thanks. I'll bring them up when I go to my teacher to talk about it.

[Ken]

those dont seem to be very intimite questions, unless it was implied that "what they do" means how they have sex etc.

besides i can tell you what men want and what women want :D

women go for status

men go for looks

simple as that :D i have read many books on attraction and seduction, it all comes down to that.

[Jazzratt]

those dont seem to be very intimite questions, unless it was implied that "what they do" means how they have sex etc.

besides i can tell you what men want and what women want :D

women go for status

men go for looks

simple as that :D i have read many books on attraction and seduction, it all comes down to that.

Books on seduction are not worthwhile academic sources or scientific studies are they? In fact I would go as far as to say that they are in fact a wonderful way to make money of lonely, gullible idiots.

[Organic Revolution]

those dont seem to be very intimite questions, unless it was implied that "what they do" means how they have sex etc.

besides i can tell you what men want and what women want :D

women go for status

men go for looks

simple as that :D i have read many books on attraction and seduction, it all comes down to that.

You sound like an asshole. Reading books on attraction and seduction? you sound like a right sexist to me.

[jake williams]

those dont seem to be very intimite questions, unless it was implied that "what they do" means how they have sex etc.
What'd you think I was going to ask about? Eating ice cream? I'll probably have a question about masturbation.


besides i can tell you what men want and what women want :D

women go for status

men go for looks
I don't want to sound really smug, but this is precisely the sort of thing I'm doing my study on - male ignorance of female sexuality.


simple as that :D i have read many books on attraction and seduction, it all comes down to that.
Yeah I'm not gonna bother.

[Bright Banana Beard]

those dont seem to be very intimite questions, unless it was implied that "what they do" means how they have sex etc.

besides i can tell you what men want and what women want :D

women go for status

men go for looks

simple as that :D i have read many books on attraction and seduction, it all comes down to that.

Not really, it all comes to their own attraction code. They only study on hitting on the club. My brother is into all those stuff and he rarely at home with plenty of condoms (I saw it). As he come home, he always fucking smile and doesn't tell shit what he does. Despite it sexist appearance, it can sometimes work.

[Ken]

Books on seduction are not worthwhile academic sources or scientific studies are they?
yep! they are.



In fact I would go as far as to say that they are in fact a wonderful way to make money of lonely, gullible idiots.

you are so immature for a moderator :unsure: did you come here for the TEEN SEX INSIDE?


You sound like an asshole. Reading books on attraction and seduction? you sound like a right sexist to me.

damn, how did you know i was a misogynist? it must have been the part about the reading books on attraction and seduction!


I don't want to sound really smug, but this is precisely the sort of thing I'm doing my study on - male ignorance of female sexuality.

oh? ignorance of what? attraction isnt hugely complicated.

[which doctor]

those dont seem to be very intimite questions, unless it was implied that "what they do" means how they have sex etc.

besides i can tell you what men want and what women want :D

women go for status

men go for looks

simple as that :D i have read many books on attraction and seduction, it all comes down to that.
Are these "books" about attraction and seduction found inside GQ and Cosmo?

[Ken]

i dont know what GQ is but no they are not found inside Cosmo.

i have found it to be a rather interesting study from a scientific approach. especially in regards to the anthropological side of it-e.g. female apes would unconsciously stroke their hair or scratch near their wrist to signal to the male apes they require nurturing.

[jake williams]

attraction isnt hugely complicated.
This is blatantly and mind-bogglingly false. You've never read queer theory, have you? Or for that matter... had a heterosexual relationship?

[Jazzratt]

yep! they are.

Are you aware of what the word "worthwhile" means? Or the phrase "academic source" (hint, it's nothing to do with sauce.)?



you are so immature for a moderator :unsure: did you come here for the TEEN SEX INSIDE?

It's laughable that someone who believes they know everything about sexuality on the reasoning "ah read it inna book like dem smart folks" believes I'm immature.

I can't wait until you share the great knowledge you've gleaned about the human condition from reading 4chan's /b/.

[Dean]

Or the phrase "academic source" (hint, it's nothing to do with sauce.)?
...
I can't wait until you share the great knowledge you've gleaned about the human condition from reading 4chan's /b/.
Wrong. 2 references to 4 Chan in one post.

[Jazzratt]

Wrong. 2 references to 4 Chan in one post.

The first wasn't deliberate. :laugh: Methinks someone spends too much time on a certain dark and godforsaken corner of the internet.

[jake williams]

a certain dark and godforsaken corner of the internet.
The entire internet is dark and godforsaken. Shit, look at us.

[Dust Bunnies]

Please share the results with us! I am interested to find the results. Lets see if Ken is right.

[Ken]

Are you aware of what the word "worthwhile" means? Or the phrase "academic source" (hint, it's nothing to do with sauce.)?

do you know what the word "troll" means?



It's laughable that someone who believes they know everything about sexuality on the reasoning "ah read it inna book like dem smart folks" believes I'm immature.

I can't wait until you share the great knowledge you've gleaned about the human condition from reading 4chan's /b/.

dont know what to say to this, im guessing someone who has posted on a forum six times a day for more than two years eventually resorts to this sort of authoritarian teasing. were you bullied as a child?

hinthint, you have a great imagination! *pat* but stick to reality.

[jake williams]

Please share the results with us! I am interested to find the results. Lets see if Ken is right.
I will, but I'm not actually going to get results back until I think November.

[apathy maybe]

Well, in the mean time, feel free to share the methodology that you decide upon.

[Clyde45]

After all children will be open to discuss their sexuality.....wth? Furthermore, why on earth would children be having sex anyways....as you imply in the title? Uh whatever happened to children, you know, being children????

[Clyde45]

So that's like what....grade 12 is 16-18 maybe? Sounds like children to me.

[Clyde45]

I call them children if they're going to act like children. Going around sleeping with whomever is not very mature, if you ask me. I think the OP should instead ask these stupid children how many people they slept with in the past week and analyze the data and draw a conclussion on why teenagers are so stupid.

[Clyde45]

How am I child? I'm 18 years old and I dont go around sleeping with people. Sleeping with a ton of people is immature especially since you take pleassure over responsibility. Sex is for reproduction and thus logically one should only have sex if they have finacial stability and are married.

[Clyde45]

How do I act like a child? Actually it is my business to pass moral judgement, it's disgusting. Like how many times do you have sex with someone? Does it change frequently, you slut? You made me throw up, kid. Reproduction is the only reason of sex, not because it's "fun". If you're going to do something that can potentially change your currect structure (like having a baby), you need to afford (thus finacial stability) to take care of your kid. Marriage only makes it okay if the former is met, and so that the child grows up healthy with a mom and a dad, not any of this non-traditional stuff.

[Clyde45]

What I meant by that was do your partners change frequently because that's absolutely gross. You know a better way to prevent unwanted kids? Not having sex. That's the only 100% sure fire way not to have a kid. One does need both a mother and a father to develop properly and likely non traditional families will teach their so-called 'values" about having sex with whomever they can find. So a mum says to his ten year old son: "Hey Johnny make sure you have sex with that little girl cuz it's totally normal". nah the destruction of social order is not due to capitalism but because of increasingly secular "values"

[spice756]

Clyde45 sounds like a conservative troll that is giving a conservative spin on things here.

He made a claim that he was talking to some socialists that was saying capitalism in Russia is better than the US.:confused:




How do I act like a child? Actually it is my business to pass moral judgement, it's disgusting. Like how many times do you have sex with someone?


Well conservative believe it is my business not liberals and definitely not socialists .

[spice756]

One does need both a mother and a father to develop properly and likely non traditional families will teach their so-called 'values" about having sex with whomever they can find. So a mum says to his ten year old son: "Hey Johnny make sure you have sex with that little girl cuz it's totally normal". nah the destruction of social order is not due to capitalism but because of increasingly secular "values"


This is conservative talk .

[Clyde45]

i'm not conservative, i just believe in some sense of common decency unlike you.

[spice756]

It is not are business to tell people how many times they have sex or who they sleep with.Or for girls who choose to divorce and have kids my them self.

The liberals and definitely socialists philosophy is the government does NOT belong in your house .And how they raise a family is not the government business .

And if you are a liberal or socialists you do not sound like one.

[RaiseYourVoice]

Sex is for reproduction and thus logically one should only have sex if they have finacial stability and are married.
You really need to get laid. That changes perspectives a lot

[Mujer Libre]

Does it change frequently, you slut?
Clyde45, please do not flame other members.

This is a verbal warning, if you do this again, you will receive warning points.

[Jazzratt]

do you know what the word "troll" means?

In the context of you calling me a troll it's an asinine and meaningless term employed by people on the internet who have nothing to say.





dont know what to say to this, im guessing someone who has posted on a forum six times a day for more than two years eventually resorts to this sort of authoritarian teasing. were you bullied as a child?

hinthint, you have a great imagination! *pat* but stick to reality.

Look, you posted some bullshit you read in one of those sexist "how to pick up chicks" books that are popular amongst the 15+ lonely virgin demographic, I called you on it. You got pissed off, called me a troll and then declared that my teasing was "authoritarian", I've imagined none of this.

Why does whether or not I was bullied come into it?

[apathy maybe]

Two things, both related to Clyde45. The first is:
If you are really 18, then it is rather strange if you have never felt any desire to have sex.
Not only that, sex doesn't have a purpose! You claim that it is for making babies or something, but actually, no. Evolution doesn't provide purposes, it just happens.

Second thing is, unless I'm mistaken, it looks like Clyde45 is having a conversation with someone. Yet none of their posts are visible! I've noticed this in other places as well! May I ask why someone's posts have been deleted? Why can't us ordinary members see this (presumably banned) member's posts?

Oh, and regarding Jazzratt vs Ken. I have to say, Ken, you're coming off as immature and silly, where as Jazzratt doesn't appear to be a troll in this case (even if he is pissing you off).

[Sentinel]

Second thing is, unless I'm mistaken, it looks like Clyde45 is having a conversation with someone. Yet none of their posts are visible! I've noticed this in other places as well! May I ask why someone's posts have been deleted? Why can't us ordinary members see this (presumably banned) member's posts?


Mystery solved (http://www.revleft.com/vb/disappeared-posts-s-t89101/index.html)

[shorelinetrance]

In the context of you calling me a troll it's an asinine and meaningless term employed by people on the internet who have nothing to say.

Actually, the term troll is well defined, and not quite meaningless.

[jake williams]

ALRIGHT, SO I've written up my survey and I'm going to edit it and then hand it out. It's actually become four surveys now. There's two types, on where people talk about themselves and one where people talk about the people they're sexually attracted to, or something like that. There's two versions of each, for four surveys total.

I will let you all know how this goes.

[jake williams]

I've gotten my completed surveys back and am now compiling and beginning to analyze the data. Watch this space. Should be exciting. I managed to get about 70 surveys out of around 100 I handed out, however some classes weren't full so I'm not sure how much that's not completing and how much that's not getting.

[Dust Bunnies]

Yay! Can't wait.

[jake williams]

I HAVE RESULTS. I can post some preliminary observations now. I'm going to put up my actual report here within 24 hours.

Observations:


Female respondents were much more reluctant to acknowledge sexual infidelity than were male respondents. They also believed that they “waited” longer before their relationships became sexual.
Male respondents were more willing to acknowledge variation in sexual fantasy. Somewhat contradictorily however, males seemed to believe their sexuality was more in line with their friends’ or peers’ than did females.
Females stated that their friends had less of an impact on their choices in partner than did males’. Data also suggested that they preferred in general to have less popular partners, whereas male respondents were neutral. Both, however, believed that the opposite sex’s friends had more influence over choice of partner than each themselves thought their own friends had over theirs.
Female respondents were more concerned than men about/interested in exclusivity, intelligence, and sharing moral or political views with their partners.
Male respondents in general preferred to be able to feel superior to their partners, whereas females in general preferred not to.
Male respondents were more concerned than female respondents about/interested in facial or body features, casual relationships (although they still in general preferred long term relationships), and femininity (as opposed to straight females preferring masculinity).
Males more than females stated that they wished they were more sexually active. However, male respondents were more or less neutral when asked if they felt they “should” be more sexually active – while curiously, females quite strongly felt that they should.
Both genders were approximately equally concerned about emotional intimacy and sense of humour.
Both male and female respondents felt that women knew more about what their partners wanted, however males suggested this difference was larger than did females.

[Dust Bunnies]

Hm interesting statistics, thanks for sharing!

[jake williams]

I can post my actual report on here if anyone knows a simple way to upload a .doc

[Bilan]

Interesting hehe.

[Junius]

I can post my actual report on here if anyone knows a simple way to upload a .doc

Use rapidshare. (http://rapidshare.com/)

[which doctor]

I can post my actual report on here if anyone knows a simple way to upload a .doc

Use the attachment manager for revleft. It's under "Additional Options" when you post.

Don't use rapidshit.

[jake williams]

Here's the first report. I have to write a second more in depth report, but I'll get to that when I get to it.