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latest cohort had premarital sex, this act was often taking place in the context of a steady relationship and in many cases was happening with one’s eventual spouse. Although there was a significant increase in women having sexual intercourse before meeting their eventual husband, or “pre-premarital sex,” in all three cohorts the majority of women had premarital sex with their eventual husband only.49 Only 3 percent of prewar brides and 17 percent of baby boom brides had sex with someone other than their eventual husband. This percentage rose to 33 percent among brides in the most recent (post-1965) generation.50
    As these data show, dating and moderate levels of sexual intimacy, especially necking and petting, were an increasingly common part of the youth experience from the early part of the century through at least the mid-1960s. As the twentieth century progressed, greater sexual intimacy emerged, but for those in the mainstream this sexual intimacy was generally restricted to intimate relationships where a likely outcome was marriage. However, the custom of dating in order to get to know someone of the opposite sex en route to potential sexual intimacy has not remained the norm among American youth. In the latter part of the twentieth century, a shift was underway, particularly on college campuses, which allowed a new script to emerge.
    THE EMERGENCE OF THE HOOKING-UP ERA
    Despite the dominance of dating from the 1920s, eventually changes in society led to yet another shift in the script. In the mid-1960s, changes in the way young people were getting together had begun to occur.51
    This shift away from traditional dating was particularly apparent on college campuses.52 College students began socializing in groups, rather than pair dating, and “partying” with large numbers of friends and classmates. Parties represented more than just a social outing; they became the setting for potential sexual encounters. At parties, students F RO M DAT I N G TO H O O K I N G U P
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    generally consumed alcohol while trying to meet new people with whom they could potentially become sexually intimate or to initiate encounters with classmates they already knew.53 In addition to the sexual possibilities, parties were a place to find a potential romantic partner and begin a new relationship. Is it possible that the mid-1960s marks the end of formal dating and the emergence of hooking up on the college campus? I believe that a number of sociohistorical trends, both cultural and demographic, that coincide with this time period suggest that this is the case.
    The 1960s are widely known as a time of great change throughout our society, particularly among youth. The advent and increased availability of the birth control pill coupled with a liberalization of attitudes toward sexuality led to changes in what was socially acceptable to do sexually. In fact, intercourse became thought of as a sign of intimacy and physical pleasure rather than merely a means of reproduction.54
    With these reproductive and attitudinal changes came changes in sexual behavior. Precisely how dramatic the change in sexual behavior was is the subject of much debate. However, most scholars agree that there was a discernible change in sexual behavior. In other words, sexual intercourse prior to marriage was no longer taboo but was becoming the norm for both women and men.55 Along with the increase in sexual intercourse prior to marriage came an increase in other avenues of sexual expression for heterosexuals. Sexual acts that had previously been reserved for marriage (and after intercourse had taken place) were integrated into earlier “bases” of the sexual script.56 Specifically, oral sex became an increasingly common element of the sexual script throughout the second half of the twentieth century, particularly among well-educated whites.57 Thus, the sexual possibilities for unmarried heterosexuals were expanding.
    A second source of cultural change that could be