ABSTRACT
In the minds of many, love and sex are often closely connected. In fact, studies that explore people’s attitudes about the role of sex in a dating relationship find that affection for the partner is the most frequently cited reason for having sex (e.g., Robinson & Jedlicka, 1982; Sherwin & Corbett, 1985), especially for women (Michael et al., 1994). This is hardly surprising
in light of the fact that sexuality is perhaps the one feature that sets romantic relationships apart from other close relationships (Scanzoni et al., 1989). We can share intimate details with our friends and be strongly committed to our relationships with family members, but sex is something that is supposed to be shared specifically with the one we love in a romantic way.
