Communication about Sex in Relationships
The question to be addressed in this report focuses on the degree to which and the manner in which communication about sex and sexuality occurs in long-term and short-term relationships. Communication on such a topic falls within the realm of interpersonal communication, which is generally characterized as a sharing of positive and negative experiences and as the extension of the self within a personal relationship (Barker & Barker, 1993). It is important to note in any discussion about communication and sex in human relationships, that dramatic changes in the expression of sexuality occurred during the twentieth century.
Over this time period, as Baron and Byrne (2000) suggest, sexual interactions became a common and widely accepted component of even very brief and transitory romantic relationships in most of the United States. Consequently, the so-called sexual revolution has led to a generalized expansion of interpersonal communication regarding a wide variety of maters related to sexuality, including discussions of sexual preferences and practices, concerns regarding birth control and "safe sex," and so forth (Baron & Byrne, 2000).
Byers and Demmons (1999) examined dating individuals' self-disclosure about their sexual likes and dislikes to their partners using a sample of 47 college men and 52 college women in dating relationships ranging from 3 to 36 months. These researchers used a questionnaire measuring sexual exchange variables, sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, sexual communication satisfaction, and sexual and nonsexual self-disclosure with a partner. Both sexual and nonsexual self-disclosure tended to be more common among individuals in the longer-term relationships than in those participating in newer or shorter-term relationships. Generally, Byers and Demons (1996) also found that regardless of the length of a relationship, individuals who were ...