There is a well-established association between drinking and casual sex among young adults (Claxton et al., 2015, Goldstein et al., 2007, Kiene et al., 2009, Cooper, 2002). Drinking is thought to facilitate casual sex (Dermen et al., 1998, Lindgren et al., 2009, Vander Ven and Beck, 2009, Lefkowitz et al., 2016), and most hookups occur after alcohol use (Garcia, 2019). Alcohol challenge studies show that the pharmacological effects of alcohol on cognitive processes (e.g., disinhibition, impaired judgment) related to riskier sexual decision-making may contribute to the increased likelihood of sex (Garcia, 2019, Norris, 2009, Davis et al., 2004, Abbey, 2002, Berry and Johnson, 2018). We argue that it’s not just drinking, but also where one drinks that impacts sexual activity with new partners (SANP). SANP (compared to sexual activity with previous partners; SAPP) is associated with fewer intimate behaviors (i.e., penetration, oral sex, sexual touching), but more drinking before sex, verbal persuasion, physical force, intentional intoxication, encouragement to drink, and sexual aggression (Testa, 2015). SANP is also uniquely related to individual differences. For example, antisocial behavior and hostility towards women are both positively related to reports of SANP involving some verbal persuasion, physical force, or encouragement to drink (Testa, 2015), and sociosexuality (i.e., attitudes and behaviors related to casual sex) is related to SANP (Hone et al., 2020). The present daily diary study considers the impact of drinking venues independent of the effects of drinking quantity on SANP. Here, we test whether drinking venue effects exist on sexual activity with new—but not previous—partners, and whether these effects exist even after accounting for the intoxicating effects of alcohol that may be present for men during those hours.

Young adults consume alcohol both in public (e.g., parties) and in private (e.g., home) venues, and the venue in which a drinking event occurs predicts the amount of alcohol consumed (Ehlke et al., 2019), with more alcohol being consumed in public, compared to private venues (Clapp, 2006). Moreover, heavier drinking at bars (compared to parties, campus events, and dorms) is associated with unprotected sex among men, but not women, suggesting there are also gender-specific effects of drinking venues on sexual outcomes (Mair et al., 2016). But research using event-level methodology suggests the association between drinking and SANP is not solely dose-dependent on the intoxicating effects of alcohol in the moment (Testa, 2015, Mair et al., 2016, Bersamin, 2012, Howells and Orcutt, 2014). For example, frequency of attending Greek parties, residence-hall parties, and off-campus parties (relative to other drinking contexts) was related to increased risk of alcohol-related sex with a stranger, controlling for frequency of getting drunk in such contexts (Bersamin, 2012). Similarly, frequency of drinking at parties and bars was related to having more sexual partners, controlling for quantity of alcohol consumed (Mair et al., 2016). Moreover, drinking episodes (venue unspecified) increase the odds of (both aggressive and non-aggressive) SANP (Testa, 2015). Of note, drinking episodes involving alcohol consumption at doses below the level required to produce pharmacological effects of alcohol (<2 drinks) still increased the odds of SANP (Testa, 2015), suggesting there are situational, and not just pharmacological, effects of alcohol on SANP that have yet to be examined.

The notion that drinking venues play a role in SANP is not new. Global studies have consistently revealed an association between drinking in bars and victimization (Parks and Zetes-Zanatta, 1999), and are useful in identifying potential high-risk targets for SANP interventions. But it remains unclear whether drinking at parties and bars increases the likelihood of subsequent sex with new partners in the next few hours, or merely whether those who drink more in these contexts are also more likely to have more sex with new partners on separate occasions (i.e., reflecting a pattern of high-risk behavior) (Parks and Zetes-Zanatta, 1999). Early event-based studies of sexual and nonsexual aggression in bars revealed that venues potentiate risk (Parks, 2000). Because SANP does not occur after every drinking event, event-based studies enable researchers to pinpoint differences between instances when SANP occurred versus times when it did not (e.g., if/where prior drinking occurred). For example, recent daily survey research suggests differences between instances when (nonconsensual) SANP occurred among college women versus when it did not can be attributed to contextual risk (i.e., exposure to potential sex partners (Blayney et al., 2022).

Here we similarly consider college men’s drinking events at parties and bars versus at home (venues that vary regarding how many women are present, and perceived level of women’s intoxication), as well as the number of drinks men consumed, and SANP within the next four hours. Because SANP is associated with negative consequences like sexual aggression (Garcia, 2019, Perkins et al., 2002), deducing whether venues might potentiate risks beyond level of intoxication has the potential to inform prevention programs. In addition to targeting and reducing average drinking, we might also target social drinking venues that are hot spots for meeting potential new sex partners, and individuals (especially men; Treat et al., 2021) who frequent these venues for tailored interventions (Saltz et al., 2010).

Earlier analyses of the present dataset (conducted to examine the role of sociosexuality—attitudes and behaviors related to casual sex—in drinking at parties/bars to facilitate new partner sex) revealed that men who reported a greater total number of drinking events at parties/bars across a 56-day reporting period also reported a greater total number of SANP events throughout the study (Hone et al., 2020). However, it is unclear whether this global association reflects an event-specific effect of drinking at parties/bars on increased likelihood of subsequent SANP in the next few hours. Because the primary goal of prior analyses was to evaluate the role of sociosexuality in drinking at parties/bars to facilitate SANP, whether venue effects were independent of the intoxicating effects of alcohol has not yet been examined. Prior research suggests that drinking quantity influences the likelihood of SANP, so we controlled for the effects of number of drinks consumed to address this limitation. In doing so, we elucidate whether it’s just drinking (i.e., number of drinks consumed), or perhaps also where these high-risk men drink that contributes to SANP.

The present daily diary study tested whether drinking in certain venues increases the odds of certain types of sexual activity in the next four hours, independent of alcohol quantity consumed. To answer our questions of interest regarding drinking venues and sexual activity, we deliberately limited the sample to men likely to have incidents of drinking and sex, as men reporting no drinking or sex would add no variance. Based on prior research highlighting the importance of relationship status (Simpson et al., 2004, Simpson and Gangestad, 1992) and sociosexuality (i.e., attitudes and behaviors related to casual sex; Hone et al., 2020, Simpson and Gangestad, 1991) in sexual activity, we include men’s relationship status and sociosexuality in our models. The 4-hour window was chosen to approximate the period of elevated blood alcohol concentrations following drinking initiation and to be consistent with prior studies (aan het Rot et al., 2008, Testa and Derrick, 2014). We hypothesized that drinking events at parties/bars (but not at home) would increase the odds of SANP (but not SAPP) within the next four hours, and that these effects would be independent of effects of number of drinks. We do not hypothesize that drinking at home would increase the odds of SAPP (or SANP) within the next four hours independent of alcohol quantity consumed—we presume that venue effects are specific to social drinking venues and casual sex.