Final answer:
True, college students often underestimate their peers' sexual activity due to pluralistic ignorance. Attitudes toward sexuality are influenced by multiple factors, including parental guidance and societal standards. A majority of adults favor safer sex education over abstinence-only approaches.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that college students tend to underestimate how much sex their peers are having is generally considered true based on social studies research. Social psychology studies often reveal that people have a tendency to make inaccurate estimations about others' behaviors and lifestyles, which is known as pluralistic ignorance. Peers, parental influence, and societal expectations play significant roles in shaping individuals' perceptions and behaviors regarding sexuality.
While teens may report parental and adult influences as significant, they also hold progressive attitudes about sex that may not match their behaviors. For instance, a high percentage of youths believe in sexual freedoms such as the right for an unmarried female to have a child, but this does not necessarily correlate with high frequency or numbers of sexual partners. Many express a desire for monogamy and committed relationships.
It is also interesting to note the discrepancies in sexual attitudes between genders as shaped by societal double standards, and the finding that married couples tend to have sex more frequently than singles. Moreover, sexual education debates touch upon the effectiveness of different approaches, with most adults favoring education about safer sexual practices over abstinence-only programs.
In terms of living arrangements for college students, the hypothesis (Ha) suggests there is a difference between male and female students, which could also indicate varying social attitudes and behaviors surrounding sexuality among college students.