Final answer:
Cultural and religious beliefs heavily influence behaviors surrounding marriage and sexual activity, with Asian Americans noted as more likely to marry, possibly indicating a lower likelihood of early sexual intercourse among this group compared to others.
Step-by-step explanation:
Regarding which ethnic group in the U.S. is least likely to engage in early sexual intercourse, the data suggests that cultural and religious beliefs play a significant role in such behaviors. The importance of religion, for instance, is seen to impact decisions around marriage and, implicitly, sexual activity, with those valuing religion more likely to marry. Specifically, Asian Americans have been identified as more likely to marry compared to other ethnic groups, like African Americans, which can suggest a more traditional approach to sexual behaviors and potentially indicate a lower likelihood of early sexual intercourse among this group.
However, without recent, definitive studies directly comparing rates of early sexual intercourse across all ethnic groups in the U.S., it is difficult to conclusively identify one ethnic group as the least likely to engage in early sexual activity.