Communicating Consent: A Comparative Thematic Analysis of Sorority and Fraternity Hookup Culture

Abstract

The current study was conducted at a southeastern, four-year university, and the participants were members of Greek life (social fraternities and sororities) at the university. The purpose of the study was to examine the hookup culture within these social entities as a process. Specific attention was paid to the consumption of alcohol and how it was reported by both men and women, the use of both verbal and nonverbal communication, and the analysis of Altman’s and Taylor’s Social Penetration Theory to explain components of the hookup culture being explored throughout the study. The study consisted of 33 fraternity men and 23 sorority women.