STUDENTS JUDGMENTS OF THE RISKS OF HIV-INFECTION AS A FUNCTION OF SEXUAL PRACTICE, SEX OF TARGET AND PARTNER, AND AGE AND SEX OF STUDENT

Two age cohorts of male and female students (n = 311) were investigate d concerning their perceptions of the HIV-related risks of various sex -related practices (unprotected vaginal, oral, and anal sex, and mutua l masturbation and kissing). Participants judged the risk of these act ivities for either a male or a female acquiring either a new male sexu al partner or a new female one. The greater risks of unprotected sex c ompared to other practices and the enhanced risks of these practices w ithin gay (male-male) pairings were recognized. However low-risk activ ities (e.g., kissing and masturbation) were still judged riskier for g ay partners than were the same practices within other sexual relations hips. Sexual practices in lesbian relationships were estimated to be n o less risky than those in heterosexual ones. The older cohort seemed better able than the younger to distinguish risky practices for gay ma le pairings, although these older participants also tended more to ext end these risks to lesbian partners. Male participants more often than female ones overestimated the risks of anal penetration for heterosex ual males. In general the participants were aware of the risks of diff erent sexual practices and partner combinations, although responses al so revealed stereotypic and motivational biases.