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The relation of gender-role orientation to sexual experience among college students

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Abstract

This study examined the relations of gender and three aspects of gender roles — self concept, behavior, and sexual attitudes — to three aspects of sexual behavior — sexual experience, reasons for intercourse, and contraceptive use. Gender was strongly related to all three aspects of sexual behavior. For both men and women, sex role behaviors were related to sexual experience and to reasons for intercourse, but not to contraceptive use, and sex role self-concept was unrelated to any of the aspects of sexual behavior. The results indicate that sexual behavior is influenced both by societal gender role norms and by individual differences in the acceptance of those norms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychological Science, Ball State University, 47303, Muncie, Indiana

    Bernard E. Whitley Jr.

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  1. Bernard E. Whitley Jr.
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This research was supported by grants from the Office of Research and the Psychology Advisory Committee, Ball State University. I would like to thank Jacquelyn Clouser, Robert Ferguson, Becki Frederick, Shauna Gatten, Ann Marie Love, and John Millar for their assistance in data collection, coding, and analysis, and Mary Kite and Michael Stevenson for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of this article.

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Whitley, B.E. The relation of gender-role orientation to sexual experience among college students. Sex Roles 19, 619–638 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00289740

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