Promising the future: Virginity pledges and first intercourse

Since 1993, in response to a movement sponsored by the Southern Baptist Chu rch, over 2.5 million adolescents have taken public "virginity" pledges, in which they promise to abstain from sex until marriage. This paper explores the effect of those pledges on the transition to first intercourse. Adoles cents who pledge are much less likely to have intercourse than adolescents who do not pledge. The delay effect is substantial. On the other hand, the pledge does not work for adolescents at ail ages. Second, pledging delays i ntercourse only in contexts where there are some, but not too many, pledger s. The pledge works because it is embedded in an identity movement. Consequ ently, the pledge identity is meaningful only in contexts where it is at le ast partially nonnormative. Consequences of pledging are explored for those who break their promise. Promise breakers are less likely than others to u se contraception at first intercourse.