Unrestricted.2016-11-142011-02-182016-11-141993-08http://hdl.handle.net/2346/11990Literature in the area of love and sexual attitudes supports the idea that different sexual standards for men and women that are held by either partner in the relationship, or by significant others, including society, may be influential in regard to the fate of the relationship. Historically, a double standard has been held concerning premarital sex for men and women, and it is evident that aspects of the double standard are embedded in gender roles. Throughout the history of the double standard, sex has been a goal for men, and women have been expected to set sexual limits if they want commitment from men. The current study examined the impact of gender differences and perceived gender differences on close relationships. Partners were studied in interaction in two types of vignettes. In one vignette, a sexual interaction had taken place in the context of a casual relationship, and in the other, a sexual interaction had taken place in a serious, romantic relationship. The sample of 148 male and 148 female subjects were asked to complete a series of questionnaires as they believed the persons in the vignettes would answer them. The questionnaires addressed love attitudes, sexual attitudes, self-esteem, sexual guilt, attitudes toward women, trait descriptors, and acceptance of a dating or marital relationship with the stimulus person for the self, a brother, or a sister. Subjects were also asked to answer a subjective measure concerning their own views on love and sex. No subject evaluated both a male and female stimulus person, and no subject evaluated a stimulus person in both relationship conditions. Results indicated that the effect of the emotional context in which the sexual interaction took place was much stronger than the effect of the gender of the stimulus person or the gender of the subject. Differing most across conditions were love attitudes, personal relevance of the stimulus person, and some sexual attitudes. Interestingly, stimulus person gender, emotional context, and subject gender had little impact on sexual guilt, and no impact on self-esteem. There were several additional interesting findings. Female raters perceived the male stimulus person to be less romantic and more game-playing than did male raters. Also, male raters perceived that the male stimulus person felt more guilt than did the female stimulus person. Overall, male subjects seemed more accepting of casual sex and were less judgmental of the people involved. Considering the subjects' subjective views on love and sex, it is evident that some gender-specific standards are still intact, and that men and women still follow certain sexual scripts. Several female subjects tended to see the male stimulus person in the serious context as a perfect mate, and males assumed that the female stimulus person in the serious context had made the male wait for sex. Both male and female respondents assumed that in the casual context, the male stimulus person was using the female. Male respondents seemed to view this as a common situation, while female respondents evidenced anger toward males. Given the changing rates of marital patterns in today's society, as well as the current political and social struggles between genders, further and more precise research in the area of gender differences in love and sex attitudes appears warranted. Once there is a better understanding of gender differences, perhaps existing sexual standards will be better understood, differences between men and women may be valued, and other changes in the social and political realms will result.application/pdfengSex (Psychology)Intimacy (Psychology)Sex differences (Psychology)Dissertation