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Cognitive and Contextual Variables in Sexual Partner and Relationship Perception

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Abstract

This study examined the effects of contextual and cognitive variables for sexual protection on perceived social relationship factors. University students (108 women and 108 men) read script-based narratives on sexual encounters in which six variables were manipulated in two independent analyses. In the first analysis, four variables were evaluated: relational context (stable, casual), condom use (yes, no), script terminus (beginning, middle or end), and the rater’s sex. The dependent variables were interpersonal perception of one of the characters of the narrative, and expectations regarding characteristics and future of the relationship. In the second analysis, two other factors were manipulated only in the “yes” condom conditions: communication strategy (verbal, non-verbal) and condom proponent gender. Our findings corroborated other studies where condom use was viewed as unromantic with less positive characteristics for relationships. Condom proponents, especially male, were perceived as less romantic, particularly when proposing a condom non-verbally at the beginning of the encounter. However, the controlled variables enabled us to propose ways of associating condom use with positive expectations towards the proponent and the relationship itself. Romanticism, expectation of sexual intercourse, emotional proximity, and expectations of condom use in encounters where a condom was proposed increased when suggested by a woman, postponed to the end of the encounter, and verbally mentioned. We encourage women to take the lead in suggesting condom use, thus empowering them since they do not have to wait for the male to make the first move.

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Notes

  1. Communication Sciences, Philosophy, Geography, History, Management, International Relations, Psychology, Education, Mechanical Engineering, and Computer Sciences from three universities in the Lisbon region.

  2. An example of the same experimental condition for casual relationship is presented in the Appendix.

  3. We would like to thank an anonymous reviewer for drawing attention to this fact.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Psychology, University of Lisbon, Alameda da Universidade, 1649-013, Lisbon, Portugal

    Maria-João Alvarez & Leonel Garcia-Marques

Authors
  1. Maria-João Alvarez
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  2. Leonel Garcia-Marques
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Correspondence to Maria-João Alvarez.

Appendix

Appendix

Example of one experimental condition for casual relationships (condom use, verbal communication strategy, by a man proponent, up to the end of the script):

Carlos and Ana do not know each other and, on this particular day, they meet in a disco. They notice each other and look each other in the eye. He starts to chat to her and they talk for a while about trivial things and pay each other compliments before approaching more personal subjects. In the disco, they have a few drinks, they chat and try to get to know each other better, and they are physically attracted. They dance and/ start to touch each other/. They kiss and continue to kiss and then they both decide to leave. Their caresses become more intimate and they decide to go to one of their homes. They listen to music, dim the lights, and begin to kiss and exchange caresses again. They get completely undressed. He says he prefers using a condom.

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Alvarez, MJ., Garcia-Marques, L. Cognitive and Contextual Variables in Sexual Partner and Relationship Perception. Arch Sex Behav 40, 407–417 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-011-9725-5

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