Dominance-popularity status, behavior, and the emergence of sexual activity in young adolescents

From the book : Evolutionary Psychology 10 issue 2 : 296-319.
In this paper, we investigated the sexual activity levels of several subtypes of middle adolescents (age 14-15 years).
The subtype profiles were based on dominance-popularity status and a range of behaviors associated with dominance and popularity.
In addition, gender differences in behavioral profiles were examined among dominant-popular, sexually active young adolescents.
Results showed that socially dominant and popular young adolescent boys who exhibited a highly aggressive profile were more sexually active than their low-status and non-aggressive male peers; dominant-popular girls who were very attractive and gossips were more sexually active than their female peers.
The results are discussed from an evolutionary psychological framework.