Emerging adulthood (18 to 29 years old), represents a pivotal life stage characterised by identity exploration, self-definition, and the negotiation of beliefs and values. This developmental period provides an ideal context for examining how ‘sexual scripts’ (socio-cultural constructed guidelines that shape sexual meanings, desires, and behaviours) are learned, internalised, and reinterpreted across diverse cultural settings. Building on sexual script theory, this paper presents a study which situates emerging adults within a social framework that views sexuality as a socio-cultural scripted process. The study aims to develop a taxonomy of sexual scripts guiding emerging adults in Australia, focusing on five major cultural groups. Although Australia prides itself on being a multicultural nation, with over 270 ancestries and more than 300 languages spoken, little is known about the varied sexual scripts shaping young adults’ sexual attitudes and behaviours across cultures. Using qualitative methods, the study employs focus group interviews and cognitive mapping to explore how participants conceptualise sexual norms and expectations. Cognitive mapping visually represents relationships between key ideas, revealing shared and divergent patterns within and across cultural groups. This methodological approach revealed how cultural context influences the negotiation of sexual meaning during emerging adulthood, highlighting both convergent divergent perspectives. The findings enhance understanding of current dominant sexual scripts among young Australians and their cultural variations. Importantly, the study’s outcomes can inform the development of equitable, culturally responsive sexual health education and resources that reflect Australia’s multicultural reality.

Authors:
Fida Sanjakdar, Monash University, Australia

About the Presenter(s)
Fida Sanjakdar is Associate Professor in the School of Education, Culture and Society, in the Faculty of Education at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

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