Developmental Research

Developmental Research
Name
Institution
Developmental Research
The views concerning sexual morality have changed in major ways in the last few decades. They include views on same-sex behavior and premarital sex. This study was conducted to observe any age-related changes in sexual attitudes over time. A cross-sectional design was used to study this issue. The participants of this research involved both males and females of different birth cohorts. Again, the participants shared other characteristics such as ethnicity and income levels. They were aged between 20-50 years and were divided into three groups; those in their 20s and 30s, 40s, and 50s. Data was collected through questionnaires that were administered to the study participants.
Brodwin (2015) argues that sexual attitudes have changed immensely since the 1970s. However, much has changed and people now accept the idea of sex even before marriage and sex between couples of the same gender. A large percentage of those in their 50s believed that sex before marriage and sex between same-gender couples was wrong. This percentage decreased in those in their 40s who thought it was wrong. The percentage of younger people (those in the 20s and 30s) holding this view was quite low. Current generations approve sex before marriage, as well as sex between couples of same-sex (Lehmiller, 2015).
The study was meant to investigate the relationship between two variables, age and changes in sexual attitudes. In this case, age was an independent variable since it could not be changed by other factors including income levels, and hence the conclusion of the study was done across different age groups.

In other words, changes in sexual attitudes over time could only be attributed to age differences. Moreover, changes in sexual attitudes were the dependent variable in this research because it changed with age.References
Brodwin, E. (2015, June 3). We’ve grown way more accepting about certain kinds of sex since the 1970s. Business Insider. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/how-attitudes-about-sex-have-changed-since-the-70s-2015-6?IR=TLehmiller, J. (2015, November 23). How Americans’ views on sexual morality have changed. Sex and Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.lehmiller.com/blog/2015/11/17/how-americans-views-on-sexual-morality-have-changed