Article on Sociology
- Introduction and Citations
A study was done by Grollman, (2017: 156-175) in the article Social Problems. The motivation was to assess the relationship between material factors such as discrimination and sexual health of the youth. The researcher believes in the claim by Pascoe and Richman, (2009: n. p) that research on youth and social life has not been exhaustively done. The main finding from the study is that interpersonal discrimination has the potential of impacting the sexual life of a youth.
- Research Method
The data used for the research was obtained through a survey. National Opinion Research Center (NORC) administered the study and utilized two survey designs. First, a nationally representative sample was formed obtained using a random digit dial. The first sample comprised of households with telephones. Secondly, another sample was obtained from households with more than fifteen per cent of Latina people. Moreover, the data were collected using computer-assisted devices; hence, accuracy was maintained.
The study used several variables recorded from the population. For example, self-reported sexual behaviors were recorded, self-reported negative sexual behaviors, and self-reported cases of discrimination. Also, sociodemographic characteristics such as race and ethnicity were recorded using dichotomous variables and a reference group. Besides, the variables aided the analysis of the data since relied on statistical models such as the logistic regression.
The analysis of the data is done using statistical models. Binary logistic regression is used throughout the investigation. First, the impact of race, gender, and social class are regressed against sexual behaviors for a group of 955 respondents. Also, the effect of risky sexual behaviors on discrimination is assessed. Therefore, the results of the study are obtained from binary logistic regression as the tool of analysis.
- Findings
The study achieved the set objectives and conclusions were made. First, the impact of interpersonal discrimination is assessed. Heterogenous youth are found to have a positive association between multiple forms of interpersonal discrimination and sexual experience. Secondly, interpersonal discrimination is found to have a significant impact on risky sexual behaviors. The risky behaviors considered in the study are multiple sexual partners and early age of sexual debut. However, the study showed no connection between interpersonal discrimination and outcomes of risky sexual behaviors such as sexually transmitted infections. The general finding is that the consequences of discrimination harm the respondents’ sexual lives.
- Limitations of the Study
The study did not achieve total perfection and hence had limitations. The limitations are, however, assumed to have an ignorable impact on the results obtained. For example, the research used cross-sectional data, which may suffer from discernment. The respondents could have been forced by earlier cases of sexual challenges to give false information concerning discrimination. Also, the data collected utilizes self-made reports and may be short of undetected events. The main issue of concern is that self-made reports may be under or over-estimated.
Another limitation that faced the research was the choice of respondents’ ages. The study relied on information obtained from the youth. Also, the self-reports were at risk of suffering from self-bias. Therefore, the data sampling age may not have been appropriately selected, although the study was aimed at researching the youth. Generally, the limitations of the research revolve around data collection.
- Relevance to Sociology
Sociology usually deals with the study of society and social patterns. Ideally, sociology may involve the study of a particular group instead of the entire community. This article studies the social aspect of the youthful generation concerning discrimination and sexual lives. Besides, the study gives awareness of the challenges that the youth go through while attempting to balance discrimination and sexual experiences.
References
Pascoe Elizabeth, Richman Laura. 2009. “Perceived Discrimination and Health: A Meta-Analytic Review.” Psychological Bulletin 135:531-54