OFF: Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll

[Martyn White]

>From the electronic telegraph:
Sex and drugs? It's only rock 'n' roll
                  By Roger Highfield, Science Editor

THERE is little or no association between sex and drugs and
rock 'n' roll, according to a study unveiled yesterday to
the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association
in Toronto.

Prof Michael Newcomb, a psychologist at the University of
Southern California, gathered data on 552 people's sexual
behaviour, their legal and illegal drug use and their taste
in music. He also took measures of their social conformity
and sensation-seeking.

While low social conformity was related to more sexual behaviour
and drug use, it was unrelated to rock-and-roll. On the other hand,
sensation seeking was related to more drug use and rock-and-roll
music, but was unrelated to sexual behaviour.

After accounting for the influences of both social conformity and
sensation-seeking, associations between sex, drugs and rock-and-roll
all but disappeared.

"The association between sex and drugs is not a direct relationship,
but is explained by holding socially deviant attitudes," he said.

And the supposed relationship between drugs and rock-and-roll was
not a direct one either, "but rather a spurious relationship due
to the need for sensation-seeking".

The rising rate of adolescent suicide and the growing popularity
of heavy metal music among teenagers had triggered concerns that
there might be a connection.

A study by Dr Karen Scheel, of the University of Iowa, found that
heavy metal fans had lower scores on a questionnaire on the
"Reasons for Living", indicating greater risk of suicide.