Oral sex: varied behaviors and perceptions in a college population

Journal of Sex Research, Feb, 2007 by Wendy C. Chambers

Oral Sex

People who identify as virgins and whether they have engaged in oral sex. For the purpose of analysis, virgins were selected as those who had not had sexual intercourse (37.7%, n = 727). A total of 1197 (62.1%) indicated that they had had intercourse and are referred to as nonvirgins. Regarding giving or receiving oral sex, most virgins indicated that they did not engage in oral sex. A significant minority, however, had engaged in oral sex. Out of 717 virgins who responded to this question, a total of 280 (39.1%) indicated that they had given oral sex to someone in their lifetime, in comparison to 1,134 (95.5%) nonvirgins, out of 1,188 responders. Out of 712 virgins who responded to this question, 297 (41.7%) indicated that they had received oral sex from someone in their lifetime, whereas out of 1,180 nonvirgin responders, a total of 1,137 (96.4%) indicated that they had received oral sex from someone in their lifetime (see Table 3a and 3b for details). Thus, although fewer than half of the virgins had engaged in oral sex, almost everyone who had had intercourse had also engaged in oral sex.

The level of intimacy that is accorded oral sex. Participants indicated their perception of intimacy on a 1-5 scale (1 = not intimate at all and 5 = extremely intimate). The 1-5 Likert-type scale used to assess the intimacy of oral sex and intercourse was condensed into not intimate (rating of 1 or 2), neither intimate nor lacking in intimacy (rating of 3), and intimate (rating of 4 or 5). The majority of participants, 53.5% (n = 1032), perceived oral sex as intimate. Much more unanimity existed in perceiving intercourse as intimate than in perceiving oral sex as intimate (see Table 4 for details).

The type of relationship in which oral sex is typically given/received. Approximately 12.0% (n = 237) indicated that they had not engaged in oral sex. When it came to the type of relationship in which participants felt comfortable giving oral sex, the majority endorsed the "committed" relationship (61.3%, n = 1,182). "Engaged/Married" and "It depends" were endorsed by similar percentages: 30.4% (n = 586) and 27.4% (n = 529), respectively. Likewise, similar percentages endorsed the "Noncommitted" relationship (12.0%, n = 232) and the "Primarily sexually based" relationship (12.7%, n = 244). Highly similar percentages were given for the comfortability in giving and receiving oral sex in Committed, Engaged/Married, and It depends categories (no statistical comparisons were made between giving/receiving categories for the total sample). Most participants felt comfortable engaging in oral sex in more serious relationships, though the lower endorsement of marriage possibly indicates less comfort in engaging in oral sex in a legally sanctioned committed relationship or an indication of lack of experience in that relationship type (see Discussion). Furthermore, the small percentage of participants that were willing to engage in oral sex in less serious relationships were more likely to do so if they were receiving oral sex rather than giving (see Table 5 for details).