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The sexual double standard and gender differences in attitudes toward casual sex among U.S. university students

Author

Listed:
  • Paula England

    (New York University, Abu Dhabi)

  • Jonathan Bearak

    (New York University)

Abstract

Background: A significant portion of premarital sexual activity is casual rather than in relationships, and commentators disagree on whether this is what women prefer. Objective: We examine gender differences in attitudes toward casual sex. We also assess whether there is a double standard whereby women are judged more harshly for casual sex. Methods: We use a large online survey of U.S. university students to examine gender differences with regard to attitudes and reports of sexual behavior. Results: While distributions overlap, the average man looks more favorably on casual sex than the average woman. Both sexes show substantial openness to relationships. We find evidence of a double standard: men are more judgmental toward women than toward men who have casual sex. Men appear to over-report and/or women to under-report intercourse and fellatio, suggesting that men see these acts as enhancing and/or women see them as diminishing their status. Conclusions: Women face more negative judgment than men when they are known to engage in casual sex, and they also report less interest in casual sex than men. Our analysis does not permit us to assess whether the double standard we find evidence of explains why women have less interest in casual sex, but we hypothesize that this is the case.

Suggested Citation

  • Paula England & Jonathan Bearak, 2014. "The sexual double standard and gender differences in attitudes toward casual sex among U.S. university students," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 30(46), pages 1327-1338.
  • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:30:y:2014:i:46
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2014.30.46
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Johan Surkyn & Ron Lesthaeghe, 2004. "Value Orientations and the Second Demographic Transition (SDT) in Northern, Western and Southern Europe: An Update," Demographic Research Special Collections, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 3(3), pages 45-86.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kristine Kilanski & David McClendon, 2017. "Dating across and hooking 'up': Status and relationship formation at an elite liberal arts university," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 37(60), pages 1917-1932.
    2. Ana María Iregui-Bohórquez & Ligia Alba Melo-Becerra & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo, 2019. "Is there a relationship between schooling and risky health behaviors in Colombia?," Revista Cuadernos de Economia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, FCE, CID, vol. 38(77), pages 365-395, July.
    3. Hae Won Kim & Yeon Hee Kim & Saem Yi Kang & Eun Ju Lee & Jung Lim Lee & Youngji Kim, 2021. "Gender Differences in Sexual Information Needs and Relating Factors in Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-12, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    gender; sexuality; universities; attitudes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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