CHICAGO, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Researchers have found that young people with nosy neighbors are less likely to have early sex experiences.
A newly published report analyzed the behavior of children and adults in 80 Chicago neighborhoods.
Levels of nosiness -- or, as the researchers call it, "neighborhood collective efficacy" -- were determined by asking parents about trust in their neighbors, whether the folks on the block knew the names of local children and could be counted on to watch out for them.
Parental supervision had the highest effect on the youths' sexual behavior, the Chicago Sun-Times said.
But, for those young people who had low levels of adult supervision, nosy neighbors appear to help delay first intercourse by 30 percent, according to Christopher Browning, lead author of the study and an Ohio State University sociologist.
He said nosy neighbors had a higher effect on the sexual behavior of girls than boys, who tend toward more risky behavior regardless of supervision or where they live, Browning said.
