Science / Medicine : Lies About Sexual History

Many young people would lie about their sexual histories in order to have sex or preserve a relationship, according to a psychologist who examined the value of quizzing potential sexual partners about past experiences in order to reduce risk of AIDS.

Susan D. Cochran, an associate professor at Cal State, Northridge, studied 422 sexually experienced college students. She found that many men and some women said they would lie about past partners, self-control, contraception and being tested for exposure to the AIDS virus.

For example, 20% of the men studied said that, if pressed, they would lie and say that they had received a negative test result even if they had not been tested. Forty-seven percent of men and 42% of women said they would report fewer sexual partners than they had really had.

Nearly one quarter of the men, and 10% of the women, said they would never tell a new partner that they were also involved with someone else. Forty-two percent of men and 33% of women said they would never admit a one-time, impulsive affair.

Cochran said her findings show that a partner’s assurances do not amount to protection against the AIDS virus. Yet nearly 40% of the women studied said they rely in part on questioning potential partners in order to reduce their risk.