Researchers map the sexual network of an entire high school

[The Straight Story]

COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the first time, sociologists have mapped the romantic and sexual relationships of an entire high school over 18 months, providing evidence that these adolescent networks may be structured differently than researchers previously thought.
James Moody

The results showed that, unlike many adult networks, there was no core group of very sexually active people at the high school. There were not many students who had many partners and who provided links to the rest of the community.

Instead, the romantic and sexual network at the school created long chains of connections that spread out through the community, with few places where students directly shared the same partners with each other. But they were indirectly linked, partner to partner to partner. One component of the network linked 288 students – more than half of those who were romantically active at the school – in one long chain. (See figure for a representation of the network.)

James Moody, co-author of the study and professor of sociology at Ohio State University, said this network could be compared to rural phone lines, running from a long main trunk line to individual houses. As a comparison, many adult sexual networks are more like an airline hub system where many points are connected to a small number of hubs.

http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/chains.htm

[jberryhill]

1. "adult sexual networks are more like an airline hub system "

Yes and no.

On the one hand, they carry more baggage.

But they almost never lose it.

[tblue37]

6. Perfect reply! nt

[cantbeserious]

2. Sexless For Twenty Years Now - Did Not Know It Was Still Popular

eom

[Trillo]

3. They have sex in schools?

I was sure that was an expulsion event of absolute zero tolerance.

[The Straight Story]

4. Sex is fine, you just can't have inhalers or meds you need to live (nt)

[MineralMan]

5. I googled this and finally found an image of the

network map:



http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/chainspix.htm

[Tuesday Afternoon]

7. thanks for posting the diagram. interesting. n/t

[MineralMan]

8. It is interesting.

It took me a while to really understand it. The numbers indicate the number of similar connections. So there were 63 couples who only messed around with each other.

It was that big grouping that I found interesting, and it indicates how easily an STD, for example, can spread out.

Looking closely at the diagram, I found only two incidences of same-sex relationships. One between two boys and one between two girls. You have to peer at the thing for a while to see them. That seemed a lower number than I'd expect, but who knows.

You always have to wonder about the accuracy of such diagrams, though, since high school kids might exaggerate or omit information.

But, still interesting.