NEW YORK [Reuters, Mar 27, 2006] - Young men who feel good about their looks are more likely than their peers with a less positive body image to engage in risky sexual behavior, a new study of college students shows.
The men who were most satisfied with their appearance, and the most appearance-oriented --- meaning they were highly invested in their looks and considered appearance to be important --- were also the most likely to have sex without condoms and to have sex with multiple partners, Dr. Eva S. Lefkowitz of Pennsylvania State University in University Park and colleagues report.
The same study also found that the reverse is true for women --- young women with a positive image were less likely to engage in risky sex.
Lead authour Dr. Lefkowitz is puzzled what accounts for the finding. She says that, "people who feel better about their looks may be more likely to have sex, or being sexually active may confer a better body image." She can't pinpoint yet which is which.
I say maybe it still has something to do with the biologic imperative to reproduce. While both male and female would want to ensure the survival of the species, males will always try to spread their 'seeds' everywhere with little regard for personal safety. Women, on the other hand, won't behave similarly because that is not their biologic programming. Women are there to care and nurture the young.
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