Paul Brandon wrote:
> >[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> >two and a half million adolescents have taken public
> >"virginity" pledges, in which they promise to abstain from
> >sex until marriage. This paper explores the effect of
> >virginity pledges on the transition to first intercourse. On
> >one hand, we show that adolescents who pledge, controlling
> >for all of the usual characteristics of adolescents
> >and their social contexts that are associated with the
> >transition to sex, are much less likely than adolescents who
> >do not pledge, to have intercourse. The delay effect is
> >substantial and almost impossible to erase.
Gee, I would have thought that the _last_ claim would have been the
one that raised some eyebrows. Exactly how would the researchers have gone
about determining that the adolescents' delay of intercourse is "almost
impossible to erase"? <grin>
Paul Smith
Alverno College
Milwaukee
