1
|
Díaz-Gutiérrez C, Pérez B, Concha-Salgado A. Psychometric properties of the Sexual Double Standard Scale (DSS) in Chilean university students: Differences according to sex, gender attitudes, and religiosity. Int J Psychol Res (Medellin) 2022; 15:10-21. [PMID: 37274514 PMCID: PMC10233959 DOI: 10.21500/20112084.5435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the complete lack of instruments in Chile to measure the phenomenon of the sexual double standard (SDS), this study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the sexual double standard scale (DSS). The sample contained 1036 university students from central and southern Chile. 61.1% (n = 633) were women, the average age was 20.4 years, and 31.7% (n = 259) identified as atheist or agnostic. The DSS demonstrated a unidimensional structure, excellent reliability, and evidence of convergent and discriminant validity: the higher the score in SDS, the greater the stereotypical attitudes about gender and the lower the transcendent attitudes. The religious participants obtained higher mean scores on the DSS and men obtained significantly higher SDS scores than women. In addition, the group of participants with extreme stereotypical attitudes obtained significantly higher scores on the DSS than the extreme transcendent attitudes group, in both men and women samples. Based on the evidence that links the SDS with sexual functioning and satisfaction, risky sexual practices, sexual aggression and victimization, and intimate partner violence, the DSS stands out as a contribution to the development of sex-affective education programs and the identification of individuals and groups at risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Camila Díaz-Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de La Frontera, Montevideo 0830, Temuco, Chile.Universidad de La FronteraDepartamento de PsicologíaUniversidad de La FronteraMontevideoTemucoChile
| | - Beatriz Pérez
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de La Frontera, Montevideo 0830, Temuco, Chile.Universidad de La FronteraDepartamento de PsicologíaUniversidad de La FronteraMontevideoTemucoChile
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoó S/N, Oviedo, Spain.Universidad de OviedoDepartamento de PsicologíaUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain
| | - Andrés Concha-Salgado
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de La Frontera, Montevideo 0830, Temuco, Chile.Universidad de La FronteraDepartamento de PsicologíaUniversidad de La FronteraMontevideoTemucoChile
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Jamshed N, Stewart AL, Overstreet NM. Social Dominance, Sexual Double Standards, and Violence Against Women in Tight and Loose Cultures. JOURNAL OF CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/00220221221104950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Sexual double standards are associated with adverse consequences for women, including violence. However, little research examines sexual double standards across cultures that vary in tight or loose sexuality norms. Therefore, using social dominance theory, this study examined sexual double standards and violence against women in the United States of America (U.S., a loose culture) and Pakistan (a tight culture). We hypothesized that social dominance orientation is associated with violence against women via endorsement of sexual double standards for both the U.S. and Pakistan. We recruited 315 people in total from the U.S. ( N = 169; women = 56.3%; Mage = 29 ± 5.6 years) and Pakistan ( N = 138; women = 73%; Mage = 26 ± 5.3 years). After establishing measurement invariance for our measures, we used structural equation modeling to analyze our theoretical model in two cultural settings. Multigroup path models found support for social dominance theory’s proposition that people higher on social dominance orientation justify violence against women through their endorsement of sexual double standards in both countries, above and beyond more general attitudes toward women (i.e., ambivalent sexism). We also found that the processes (i.e., social dominance and sexual double standards) supporting violence against women are similar in the two countries. A sexual double standard is found to be strong predictor of justification of violence even after controlling for gender, ambivalent sexism, and cultural tightness/looseness for both countries. Discussion focusses on a sexual double standard may be a risk factor for violence against women in different parts of the world.
Collapse
|
3
|
Endendijk JJ, Deković M, Vossen H, van Baar AL, Reitz E. Sexual Double Standards: Contributions of Sexual Socialization by Parents, Peers, and the Media. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2022; 51:1721-1740. [PMID: 34751861 PMCID: PMC8917039 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-02088-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
(Hetero)sexual double standards (SDS) entail that different sexual behaviors are appropriate for men and women. There is large variation in whether people endorse SDS in their expectations about the sexual behavior of women and men (i.e., SDS-norms). To explain these individual differences, we examined associations between SDS-norms of Dutch adolescents (aged 16-20 years, N = 566) and what parents, peers, and the media teach adolescents about appropriate sexual behavior of boys and girls (i.e., SDS-socialization). Adolescents completed an online survey at school. Regarding SDS-socialization, more traditional SDS-norms conveyed by the media and peers, but not of parents, and less perceived sexual activity of female peers, were associated with more traditional SDS-norms. Only for boys, exposure to sexy girls/women on social media and sexual music videos of female artists were associated with more traditional SDS-norms. Thus, SDS-socialization by peers and the media and opposite gender models (for boys) are important in light of adolescents' SDS-norms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joyce J Endendijk
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan1, P.O. Box 80140, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Maja Deković
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan1, P.O. Box 80140, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Helen Vossen
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan1, P.O. Box 80140, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anneloes L van Baar
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan1, P.O. Box 80140, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen Reitz
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan1, P.O. Box 80140, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Danvers AA, Chew Murphy E, Avila K, Gonzalez-Argoti T, Edwards AR, Hoffman S, Mantell JE, Bauman LJ, Dolan SM. Women Trust Their OBGYNs to Provide Preexposure Prophylaxis: An Opportunity for HIV Prevention. FRONTIERS IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2022; 4:832287. [PMID: 36303639 PMCID: PMC9580770 DOI: 10.3389/frph.2022.832287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The objective of this study was to understand how women perceive the role of their Obstetrician and Gynecologist (OBGYN) in screening for and providing preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention. Methods We recruited women ages 18–45 years receiving obstetric or gynecological care at an academic medical center in the Bronx, NY. Thirty participants were enrolled: 10 seeking care for family planning, 10 seeking prenatal care, and 10 seeking care for a sexually transmitted infection. We screened participants for HIV acquisition risk using a PrEP screening tool. We conducted face-to-face, semi-structured interviews, which were audio-recorded, transcribed, and entered into Dedoose for analysis of themes using a grounded theory approach. Results Sixty percent of the participants were Latinx and 33% African American. Seventy percent had one or more risk factors for HIV acquisition based on the PrEP screening tool, indicating they would benefit from a PrEP discussion. Three main themes emerged from the analysis of interview data. Participants viewed OBGYNs as experts in sexual and reproductive healthcare and believed they were experts in PrEP. Participants were concerned about “PrEP stigma”, being judged by their clinicians as being sexually promiscuous if they expressed a need for PrEP. Lastly, when participants trusted their OBGYN, that trust became a facilitator for women to consider PrEP and offset stigma as a barrier to identifying patients who are candidates for PrEP. Conclusion Women established in care with an OBGYN are enthusiastic about having access to PrEP services incorporated into their sexual and reproductive healthcare. A universal approach to HIV prevention would avert stigma surrounding HIV care and prevention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antoinette A. Danvers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Antoinette A. Danvers
| | - Emma Chew Murphy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Karina Avila
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Tatiana Gonzalez-Argoti
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Angelic Rivera Edwards
- Montefiore School Health Program, Department of Pediatrics, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Susie Hoffman
- Department of Epidemiology, Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Joanne E. Mantell
- Department of Psychiatry, HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Laurie J. Bauman
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Siobhan M. Dolan
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Mount Sinai Health System, New York, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Matsick JL, Kruk M, Conley TD, Moors AC, Ziegler A. Gender Similarities and Differences in Casual Sex Acceptance Among Lesbian Women and Gay Men. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 50:1151-1166. [PMID: 33604872 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01864-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Popular wisdom and scientific evidence suggest women desire and engage in casual sex less frequently than men; however, theories of gender differences in sexuality are often formulated in light of heterosexual relations. Less is understood about sexual behavior among lesbian and gay people, or individuals in which there is arguably less motivation to pursue sex for reproductive purposes and fewer expectations for people to behave in gender-typical ways. Drawing from scripts theory and pleasure theory, in two studies (N1 = 465; N2 = 487) we examined lesbian and gay people's acceptance of casual sex. We asked participants who had been propositioned for casual sex whether they accepted the offer and to rate their perceptions of the proposer's sexual capabilities and sexual orientation. They also reported on their awareness of stigma surrounding casual sex. We found a gender difference in acceptance: Gay men were more likely than lesbian women to have accepted a casual sex offer from other gay/lesbian people, and this difference was mediated by participants' stigma awareness. We also found the proposer's sexual orientation played a role in people's acceptance. Lesbian women and gay men were equally likely to accept offers from bisexual proposers but expressed different acceptance rates with "straight-but-curious" proposers, which was mediated by expected pleasure. We discuss dynamics within lesbian and gay communities and implications for studying theories of sexual behavior and gender differences beyond heterosexual contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jes L Matsick
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, 416 Moore Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- Department of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Mary Kruk
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, 416 Moore Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Terri D Conley
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Amy C Moors
- Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA
- The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Ali Ziegler
- Department of Social Sciences, University of Alaska Southeast Ketchikan, Ketchikan, AK, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Migheli M, Pronzato C. Thinking as the others do: persistence and conformity of sexual double standard among young Italians. GENUS 2020. [DOI: 10.1186/s41118-020-00095-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe double standard represents a standard of good behaviour that, unfairly, some people are expected to follow or achieve, but others are not. Once neglected by social scientists, the double standard in sexual attitudes has become more and more studied. In this paper, we inquire about the existence of the double standard in opinions regarding peers’ sexual behaviours and study its determinants. What makes young people judge the sexual behaviour of women in a more conservative way than that of men? The paper uses data collected from Italian university students, who are asked to express their (dis)approval of a series of sexual behaviours, considering peers of either gender participating in those behaviours. The results show that the double standard exists and has been persistent amid Italian undergraduate students over the last 20 years, and that the cultural context matters more than the family in shaping students’ beliefs.
Collapse
|
7
|
Zaikman Y, Stimatze T, Zeiber JA. Women’s and Men’s Evaluations of Lesbians and Gay Men and their Levels of Outness. SEX ROLES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s11199-019-01107-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
8
|
Endendijk JJ, van Baar AL, Deković M. He is a Stud, She is a Slut! A Meta-Analysis on the Continued Existence of Sexual Double Standards. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2019; 24:163-190. [PMID: 31880971 PMCID: PMC7153231 DOI: 10.1177/1088868319891310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
(Hetero)sexual double standards (SDS) entail that different sexual behaviors are appropriate for men and women. This meta-analysis (k = 99; N = 123,343) tested predictions of evolutionary and biosocial theories regarding the existence of SDS in social cognitions. Databases were searched for studies examining attitudes or stereotypes regarding the sexual behaviors of men versus women. Studies assessing differences in evaluations, or expectations, of men’s and women’s sexual behavior yielded evidence for traditional SDS (d = 0.25). For men, frequent sexual activity was more expected, and evaluated more positively, than for women. Studies using Likert-type-scale questionnaires did not yield evidence of SDS (combined M = −0.09). Effects were moderated by level of gender equality in the country in which the study was conducted, SDS-operationalization (attitudes vs. stereotypes), questionnaire type, and sexual behavior type. Results are consistent with a hybrid model incorporating both evolutionary and sociocultural factors contributing to SDS.
Collapse
|
9
|
Heymann J, Levy JK, Bose B, Ríos-Salas V, Mekonen Y, Swaminathan H, Omidakhsh N, Gadoth A, Huh K, Greene ME, Darmstadt GL. Improving health with programmatic, legal, and policy approaches to reduce gender inequality and change restrictive gender norms. Lancet 2019; 393:2522-2534. [PMID: 31155271 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(19)30656-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Evidence that gender inequalities and restrictive norms adversely affect health is extensive; however, far less research has focused on testing solutions. We first comprehensively reviewed the peer-reviewed and grey literature for rigorously evaluated programmes that aimed to reduce gender inequality and restrictive gender norms and improve health. We identified four mutually reinforcing factors underpinning change: (1) multisectoral action, (2) multilevel, multistakeholder involvement, (3) diversified programming, and (4) social participation and empowerment. Following this review, because little research has investigated the effects of national-level law and policy reforms, we conducted original quasi-experimental studies on laws and policies related to education, work, and income, all social determinants of health in which deep gender inequalities exist. We examined whether the laws and policies significantly affected health outcomes and gender norms, and whether law-induced and policy-induced changes in gender norms mediated the health effects, in areas for which longitudinal data existed. Laws and policies that made primary education tuition-free (13 intervention countries with the law and/or policy and ten control countries without) and that provided paid maternity and parental leave (seven intervention and 15 control countries) significantly improved women's and their children's health (odds ratios [OR] of 1·16-2·10, depending on health outcome) and gender equality in household decision making (OR 1·46 for tuition-free and 1·45 for paid maternity and parental leave) as a proxy indicator of gender norms. Increased equality partially mediated the positive effects on health outcomes. We conclude by discussing examples of how improved governance can support gender-equitable laws, policies, and programmes, immediate next steps, and future research needs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jody Heymann
- WORLD Policy Analysis Center, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Jessica K Levy
- Brown School at Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Bijetri Bose
- WORLD Policy Analysis Center, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Vanessa Ríos-Salas
- WORLD Policy Analysis Center, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Hema Swaminathan
- Centre for Public Policy, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, Bangalore, India
| | - Negar Omidakhsh
- WORLD Policy Analysis Center, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Adva Gadoth
- WORLD Policy Analysis Center, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kate Huh
- WORLD Policy Analysis Center, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Gary L Darmstadt
- Department of Pediatrics, and Center for Population Health Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Heise L, Greene ME, Opper N, Stavropoulou M, Harper C, Nascimento M, Zewdie D. Gender inequality and restrictive gender norms: framing the challenges to health. Lancet 2019; 393:2440-2454. [PMID: 31155275 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(19)30652-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 420] [Impact Index Per Article: 84.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Gender is not accurately captured by the traditional male and female dichotomy of sex. Instead, it is a complex social system that structures the life experience of all human beings. This paper, the first in a Series of five papers, investigates the relationships between gender inequality, restrictive gender norms, and health and wellbeing. Building upon past work, we offer a consolidated conceptual framework that shows how individuals born biologically male or female develop into gendered beings, and how sexism and patriarchy intersect with other forms of discrimination, such as racism, classism, and homophobia, to structure pathways to poor health. We discuss the ample evidence showing the far-reaching consequences of these pathways, including how gender inequality and restrictive gender norms impact health through differential exposures, health-related behaviours and access to care, as well as how gender-biased health research and health-care systems reinforce and reproduce gender inequalities, with serious implications for health. The cumulative consequences of structured disadvantage, mediated through discriminatory laws, policies, and institutions, as well as diet, stress, substance use, and environmental toxins, have triggered important discussions about the role of social injustice in the creation and maintenance of health inequities, especially along racial and socioeconomic lines. This Series paper raises the parallel question of whether discrimination based on gender likewise becomes embodied, with negative consequences for health. For decades, advocates have worked to eliminate gender discrimination in global health, with only modest success. A new plan and new political commitment are needed if these global health aspirations and the wider Sustainable Development Goals of the UN are to be achieved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lori Heise
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | | | - Neisha Opper
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Maria Stavropoulou
- Programme on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, Overseas Development Institute, London, UK
| | - Caroline Harper
- Programme on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, Overseas Development Institute, London, UK
| | - Marcos Nascimento
- Programa de Posgraduação em Saúde da Criança e da Mulher, Instituto Fernandes Figueira-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Debrework Zewdie
- School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Abstract
Abstract. The sexual double standard (SDS) has traditionally been studied by examining evaluations of hypothetical targets. Although much knowledge has been gained regarding the SDS by using this methodology, the literature thus far has suffered from a lack of ecological validity. The goal of the present study was to determine whether the SDS emerged in evaluations of participants’ real-life friends and acquaintances. Participants ( n = 4,455) evaluated a single, randomly assigned male or female friend or acquaintance whose sexual history they were familiar with. Women were evaluated more negatively as their number of sexual partners increased, whereas number of partners was not related to evaluations of men. The SDS was not moderated by the closeness of the relationship between the participant and the target person.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Marks
- Department of Psychology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA
| | - Tara M. Young
- Department of Psychology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA
| | - Yuliana Zaikman
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Wesche R, Espinosa-Hernández G, Lefkowitz ES. Gender's role in misperceptions of peers' sexual motives. SEXUALITY & CULTURE 2016; 20:1003-1019. [PMID: 28090170 PMCID: PMC5224800 DOI: 10.1007/s12119-016-9370-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The sexual double standard influences men's and women's sexual attitudes and behavior, leading men and women to consider distinct sexual motives, or reasons whether or not to engage in sexual intercourse (Crawford & Popp 2003; Reiss 1964). The goal of the present paper was to document how the sexual double standard shapes perceptions of peers' sexual motives. We build on past research by using open-ended questions and measuring perceptions of both same-gender and other-gender peers. The sample included 154 heterosexual college students (50% female, 49% European American, 25% Latino American, 26% African American) recruited via probability sampling. When we compared perceptions of men's and women's sexual motives, we found that participants seemed to rely on the sexual double standard. Participants were more likely to attribute a female-stereotyped motive (e.g., romantic relationship characteristics, feeling "ready", emotional investment) and less likely to attribute a male-stereotyped motive ("easy", arousal, physical appearance) to female peers than to male peers. However, when we compared participants' own motives to perceptions of their peers' motives, participants overestimated male-stereotyped motives and underestimated female-stereotyped motives in peers, regardless of peer gender, possibly in congruence with stereotypes of hookup culture. These findings demonstrate that, although individuals sometimes rely on the sexual double standard to attribute sexual motives to others, misperceptions of peers' sexual motives may also be influenced by stereotypes of hookup culture. These misperceptions contribute to pluralistic ignorance that may influence college students' sexual behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rose Wesche
- Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
|