• DOI:10.1086/320295
Corpus ID: 142684938

Promising the Future: Virginity Pledges and First Intercourse1

@article{Bearman2001PromisingTF,
  title={Promising the Future: Virginity Pledges and First Intercourse1},
  author={P. Bearman and H. Br{\"u}ckner},
  journal={American Journal of Sociology},
  year={2001},
  volume={106},
  pages={859 - 912}
}

• P. Bearman, H. Brückner
• Published 2001
• Psychology
• American Journal of Sociology

Since 1993, in response to a movement sponsored by the Southern Baptist Church, over 2.5 million adolescents have taken public “virginity” pledges, in which they promise to abstain from sex until marriage. This paper explores the effect of those pledges on the transition to first intercourse. Adolescents who pledge are much less likely to have intercourse than adolescents who do not pledge. The delay effect is substantial. On the other hand, the pledge does not work for adolescents at all ages… Expand