Gender, Belief in the Sexual Double Standard, and Sexual Talk in Heterosexual Dating Relationships

This study was focused on the extent to which sex, gender, and attitudes toward sexuality influenced the amount and quality of sexual communication within 698 heterosexual dating couples. Women reported more dyadic sexual negotiation but less sexual negotiation efficacy than their male partners, and individuals with less traditional attitudes toward gender roles and sexuality indicated that they discussed more sexual issues and disclosed more sexual information with their partners. Couples with more dyadic sexual communication and sexual assertiveness (but lesser negotiation efficacy) reported increased relational satisfaction. We frame the findings from a script perspective, and our results suggest that individuals who self-disclose important information about sexual issues contribute to the effectiveness of sexual communication in a dating relationship.