In terms of a more permissive uncommitted sexual content, 20% of sexual intercourse cases involved characters who knew each other but were not in a relationship, and another 15% involved characters having sex after just meeting ( Kunkel et al., 2005). In a 2005 Kaiser Family Foundation report about sex on television, media was highlighted as the primary basis for emerging adults’ opinions about sex, consistent with their result of 77% of prime-time television programs containing some sexual content ( Kunkel, Eyal, Finnerty, Biely, & Donnerstein, 2005). Research on media portrayals of sexual behavior has documented this pattern as well. As an example, the lyrics above, from the chart-topping pop song Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) by singer–songwriter Katy Perry highlight someone’s Friday night partying, presumably including casual sex, alcohol, and a piecemeal memory of the nights events. The themes of books, plots of movies and television shows, and lyrics of numerous songs all demonstrate a permissive sexuality among consumers. Popular media representations of sexuality demonstrate the pervasiveness of a sexual hookup culture among emerging adults. Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) ( Perry, Gottwald, Martin, & McKee, 2011) We suggest that researchers must consider both evolutionary mechanisms and social processes, and be considerate of the contemporary popular cultural climate in which hookups occur, in order to provide a comprehensive and synergistic biopsychosocial view of “casual sex” among emerging adults today. We argue that contemporary hookup culture is best understood as the convergence of evolutionary and social forces during the developmental period of emerging adulthood. We reviewed the current literature on sexual hookups and considered the multiple forces influencing hookup culture, using examples from popular culture to place hooking up in context. A review of the literature suggests that these encounters are becoming increasingly normative among adolescents and young adults in North America, representing a marked shift in openness and acceptance of uncommitted sex.
However, these encounters often transpire without any promise of, or desire for, a more traditional romantic relationship. Hook-up activities may include a wide range of sexual behaviors, such as kissing, oral sex, and penetrative intercourse. “Hookups,” or uncommitted sexual encounters, are becoming progressively more engrained in popular culture, reflecting both evolved sexual predilections and changing social and sexual scripts.