FINANCIAL CAPITAL AND PREMARITAL SEXUAL-ACTIVITY IN AFRICA - THE CASEOF ZAMBIA

This paper examines two theoretical perspectives on sexual behavior in Africa using the 1992 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey data on ne ver-married adolescent females. The results offer more support to the rational adaption hypothesis which assumes that many young women may b e entering into sexual relationships to obtain money and material good s they cannot get within the financial capital of their families. Ther e are, however, indications that some adolescents are sexually active before marriage as a result of the breakdown of traditional social con trols that elders had over the younger people. The way in which this a ssumption of the social disorganization theory can be further explaine d is examined under the conceptual model of social capital.