Examining the Sexual Double Standards and Hypocrisy in Partner Suitability Appraisals Within a Norwegian Sample
Sexual double standards are social norms that impose greater social opprobrium on women versus men or that permit one sex greater sexual freedom than the other. This study examined sexual double standards when choosing a mate based on their sexual history. Using a novel approach, participants (N = 9...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Evolutionary Psychology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/14747049231165687 |
| _version_ | 1827977383619067904 |
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| author | Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair Andrew G. Thomas David M. Buss Mons Bendixen |
| author_facet | Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair Andrew G. Thomas David M. Buss Mons Bendixen |
| author_sort | Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sexual double standards are social norms that impose greater social opprobrium on women versus men or that permit one sex greater sexual freedom than the other. This study examined sexual double standards when choosing a mate based on their sexual history. Using a novel approach, participants (N = 923, 64% women) were randomly assigned to make evaluations in long-term or short-term mating contexts and asked how a prospective partner's sexual history would influence their own likelihood of having sex (short-term) or entering a relationship (long-term) with them. They were then asked how the same factors would influence the appraisal they would make of male and female friends in a similar position. We found no evidence of traditional sexual double standards for promiscuous or sexually undesirable behavior. There was some evidence for small sexual double standard for self-stimulation, but this was in the opposite direction to that predicted. There was greater evidence for sexual hypocrisy as sexual history tended to have a greater negative impact on suitor assessments for the self rather than for same-sex friends. Sexual hypocrisy effects were more prominent in women, though the direction of the effects was the same for both sexes. Overall, men were more positive about women's self-stimulation than women were, particularly in short-term contexts. Socially undesirable sexual behavior (unfaithfulness, mate poaching, and jealous/controlling) had a large negative impact on appraisals of a potential suitor across all contexts and for both sexes. Effects of religiosity, disgust, sociosexuality, and question order effects are considered. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T21:04:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-85bfd6230ae44896ba1b92998ef59b08 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1474-7049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T21:04:12Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Evolutionary Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-85bfd6230ae44896ba1b92998ef59b082023-03-29T02:33:24ZengSAGE PublishingEvolutionary Psychology1474-70492023-01-012110.1177/14747049231165687Examining the Sexual Double Standards and Hypocrisy in Partner Suitability Appraisals Within a Norwegian SampleLeif Edward Ottesen Kennair0Andrew G. Thomas1David M. Buss2Mons Bendixen3 Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway School of Psychology, , Swansea, UK Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NorwaySexual double standards are social norms that impose greater social opprobrium on women versus men or that permit one sex greater sexual freedom than the other. This study examined sexual double standards when choosing a mate based on their sexual history. Using a novel approach, participants (N = 923, 64% women) were randomly assigned to make evaluations in long-term or short-term mating contexts and asked how a prospective partner's sexual history would influence their own likelihood of having sex (short-term) or entering a relationship (long-term) with them. They were then asked how the same factors would influence the appraisal they would make of male and female friends in a similar position. We found no evidence of traditional sexual double standards for promiscuous or sexually undesirable behavior. There was some evidence for small sexual double standard for self-stimulation, but this was in the opposite direction to that predicted. There was greater evidence for sexual hypocrisy as sexual history tended to have a greater negative impact on suitor assessments for the self rather than for same-sex friends. Sexual hypocrisy effects were more prominent in women, though the direction of the effects was the same for both sexes. Overall, men were more positive about women's self-stimulation than women were, particularly in short-term contexts. Socially undesirable sexual behavior (unfaithfulness, mate poaching, and jealous/controlling) had a large negative impact on appraisals of a potential suitor across all contexts and for both sexes. Effects of religiosity, disgust, sociosexuality, and question order effects are considered.https://doi.org/10.1177/14747049231165687 |
| spellingShingle | Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair Andrew G. Thomas David M. Buss Mons Bendixen Examining the Sexual Double Standards and Hypocrisy in Partner Suitability Appraisals Within a Norwegian Sample Evolutionary Psychology |
| title | Examining the Sexual Double Standards and Hypocrisy in Partner Suitability Appraisals Within a Norwegian Sample |
| title_full | Examining the Sexual Double Standards and Hypocrisy in Partner Suitability Appraisals Within a Norwegian Sample |
| title_fullStr | Examining the Sexual Double Standards and Hypocrisy in Partner Suitability Appraisals Within a Norwegian Sample |
| title_full_unstemmed | Examining the Sexual Double Standards and Hypocrisy in Partner Suitability Appraisals Within a Norwegian Sample |
| title_short | Examining the Sexual Double Standards and Hypocrisy in Partner Suitability Appraisals Within a Norwegian Sample |
| title_sort | examining the sexual double standards and hypocrisy in partner suitability appraisals within a norwegian sample |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/14747049231165687 |
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