On this September 2017 episode of the Hidden Brain podcast, sociologist Lisa Wade explains how university 'hookup culture' discourages emotional connection and perpetuates a harmful sexual and social hierarchy.

What makes hookup culture different from casual sex?

While college is often viewed as a time of sexual possibilities and exploration, the social culture around sex among students today has shifted dramatically.

Lisa Wade, an associate professor of sociology at Tulane University, discusses her book American Hookup: The New Culture of Sex on Campus with Hidden Brain podcast host Shankar Vedantam.

Hidden Brain shares the latest research on human behavior and social relationships, letting listeners hear directly from experts.

In her research, Wade collected journals from 101 students at American liberal arts universities each week for a semester.

The students were encouraged to share about their sex lives and how involved they were in campus hookup culture.

Student responses shed light on how young people in college face unique pressures to have brief, casual sexual encounters to maintain or build social status.