Hookups Can Lead to Love: Study

Don’t worry, that one-night stand can still turn into a meaningful relationship—if you want it to. Despite widespread belief that “hookup culture” is ruining relationships, a new study discovers what Tracy Clark-Flory already knew: It actually isn’t. The survey of 642 adults initially found that relationship quality was higher for couples who delayed sex—but when researchers looked only at the couples who were open to a relationship, those who hooked up were “just as happy as those who dated and waited,” according to the press release.

The study shows that “it's also possible for true love to emerge if things start off with a more Sex and the City approach, when people spot each other across the room, become sexually involved, and then build a relationship,” says sociologist Anthony Paik. Or, as Clark-Flory writes on Salon, “It isn't so much the type of sexual relationship that determines its quality, but the relationship readiness of the people involved.” Click here for two opposing views on the hookup trend.
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