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Study coins the 'Santa Claus effect'(2002/12/30)

"圣誕老人效應"詮釋激情燃燒的十二月 (2002/12/30)

School's out for the holidays. Teen-agers have time on their hands -- and perhaps even a crackling fire to set the mood. What are they planning for vacation?

Apparently, losing their virginity is high on the list for those with significant others, according to researchers who reviewed data from a federal health survey.

While June is the most common month for teen-agers to have sex for the first time -- be it in a casual summer fling or steady relationship -- sociologists from Mississippi State University say many teen-agers who are dating seriously choose December as the time to have sex for the first time.

"We call it the 'Santa Claus effect,'" says Martin Levin, lead author of the study, which is published in the current issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family.

The findings ring true to Becky Rose, a 19-year-old student at New York University.

"I'd say we're all fairly vulnerable and needy, and need someone to cling to and love," she says.

She says it's partly the stress of final exams, followed by the holidays that make her "more emotional" during the holidays. "Everything you see on TV has people kissing under mistletoe and 'Buy her a diamond -- she'll love you!'"

Whatever the reasons, experts say the holidays are the perfect time for parents to talk to their teen-agers about sex. "At the very least," says one of the expert, "maybe we should say, 'Leave the lights on.'"

(Agencies)

學校放假了。少男少女們手頭有了大把的時間--甚至可以燃一堆噼里啪啦的火焰來釋放一下情緒。那他們對假期都有些什么計劃呢？

研究人員整理了一些聯邦健康調查數據發現，對于那些有了固定戀人的青少年來說，他們在假期計劃中赫然排在第一位的是結束。

美國密西西比州立大學的社會學家指出，六月是青少年初嘗禁果的高峰期。這樣的結果是出于偶然的夏日沖動或者穩定的戀愛關系。而對于許多較嚴肅看待戀愛關系的青少年來說，他們更愿意在十二月嘗試他們的"第一次"。

領導這一研究的馬丁·萊溫說："我們把這一現象稱為'圣誕老人效應'"。這一研究結果在《婚姻與家庭雜志》上發表。

紐約大學19歲的學生貝姬·羅斯對這一研究結果頗為認同。

她說："我想說，我們每個人都很脆弱，需要得到別人的支持和愛。"

她說期末考試的壓力也是原因之一，考試令她在接下來的假期中更加地"多愁善感"。"只要打開電視，總是看到人們在榭寄生樹枝下擁吻，還有'為她買一顆鉆石吧--她就會愛上你'之類的廣告。"

而無論是什么樣的原因造成這一切，專家們認為圣誕節假期的確是父母和孩子們討論性的好機會。一位專家說："最起碼我們應該告訴孩子們，'別把燈關上'。"

（中國日報網站譯）

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