Evaluations of friends-with-benefits relationship scenarios:

is there evidence of a sexual double standard?

more Online Dating Service when compared with 50 % of college students record having had
afriends-with-benefits relationship (FWBR), i.e., recurring sexualactivity between friends who don't
define their own relationship asromantic, yet small is known about how people in FWBRs are usually
judged byothers. Regarding instance, is there a new sexual double standard whereby womenare
judged much more negatively compared to men? in the particular present study, 404university
students study certainly 1 of 4 randomly assigned scenariosdescribing an FWBR (scenarios varied in
character gender and also FWBRexperience) then completed measures regarding his or her
judgment in the maincharacter, his or her predictions concerning the relationship depicted,
theirbeliefs concerning whether or perhaps certainly not the character must keep the relationship
secret,and his or her perception regarding how a character could be judged by simply peers.
Tworespondent-level variables (respondent gender; respondent FWBRexperience) had been in
addition examined as predictors. Half of the participants(52.5%) had by themselves experienced an
FWBR, with a vast majority evaluatingthese experiences positively. Male respondents rated scenario
charactersmore positively making more positive relationship predictions than didfemale
respondents. Respondents that had private experience regarding their particular ownFWBR rated
characters much more positively making more positiverelationship predictions than those who had
never experienced an FWBR.There ended up being zero evidence of your sexual double regular
throughout characterjudgments. However, relationship predictions and estimates ofothers'
judgments had been more negative if the character has been femaleand there has been clearly any
higher perceived need for secrecy. Thus, the currentresearch failed to offer the existence of the
sexual double regular forFWBRs, yet may have suggested the perception regarding one.
KEY WORDS: friends along with benefits, casual sex, double standard,gender, sexuality
INTRODUCTION
Friends together with benefits relationships
Friends-with-benefits relationships (FWBRs) tend to be defined as recurring sexual actions between
individuals who've a pre-established friendship nevertheless that do not define their particular
relationship as romantic (Epstein, Caho, Smiler & Ward, 2009; Hughes, Morrison, & Asada, 2005).
FWBRs may be distinguished using their own company forms of casual sexual relationships like a
hookup or perhaps "one night stand," in that sexual relations within an FWBR occur
between partners with a pre-established friendship, usually in multiple occasions. FWBRs may also
be distinct from conventional romantic relationships in that there can be theoretically simply no
expectation in which the connection will be furthered romantically (Hughes, et al., 2005). Though
this sort of relationship is most likely not necessarily new, what is a more recent phenomenon can
be the terminology "friends-with-benefits" coming into your popular lexicon. Newer nevertheless is
empirical study emphasizing this unique relational context.
Research indicates that 51.8% (Mongeau, Knight, Williams, Eden, & Shaw, 2013) to always be able
to 60% (Bisson & Levine, 2009) involving university students statement getting engaged throughout
an FWBR sooner or later inside their life. There are usually likely a range of anticipated benefits
which have inspired young adults for you to engage inside FWBRs. Study shows that advantages
consist of being intimate having a trusted partner whilst avoiding commitment,
boosting confidence, gaining new experience, any feeling of manage as well as freedom,

easy access for you to sex, and also closeness as well as companionship (Bisson & Levine, 2009;
Weaver, MacKeigan, & MacDonald, 2011). However, there are also potential emotional risks related
together with FWBRs. 1 with the most commonly identified risks will be unrequited love, by which
one person develops unreciprocated romantic feelings pertaining to the other partner. Other risks
contain fears regarding ruining the particular friendship and/or causing the relationship to become
difficult or even awkward (Bisson & Levine, 2009; Gusarova, Fraser, & Alderson, 2012; Weaver et
al., 2011). Owen, Fincham and also Manthos (2013) discovered that 18.5% involving individuals
surveyed who had past FWBR experience (but weren't at present in an FWBR) indicated that these
were no more friends with their nearly all recent FWBR partner, and 31.5% indicated that, although
their particular friendship continued, they will were not as near to their particular partner as they
were before initiating the actual sexual part in the relationship. So, for approximately half of your
respondents inside that study the particular FWBR may, inside fact, have damaged the actual
friendship. Many associated with the risks which are associated along with FWBRs may also be
typical throughout both dating and romantic relationships; however, there may end up being special
challenges for individuals throughout FWBRs since there are many ambiguities surrounding
the roles and expectations involving partners inside this dyad. Youthful adults within a qualitative
research reported that open up communication would be the particular very best way to stop the
risks associated with FWBRs (Weaver, et al., 2011); however, when questioned regarding
communication around the uncertainties that can arise within FWBRs, little as well as no discussion
is typically reported (Bisson & Levine, 2009; Weaver et al., 2011).

Peer judgment as well as FWBRs

Very little is known concerning the ways by which folks in FWBRs are judged by others regarding
his or her behaviour. Within one of the earliest studies concerning this type of relationship,
respondents had been inquired open-ended questions about their own communication along with
friends concerning their FWBR experiences, in add-on in order to their perceptions associated with
their own friends' reactions to said disclosure (Hughes, et al., 2005). one involving the causes
participants identified for selecting not to disclose his or her FWBR to become able to a pal
was "network disapproval" or the anticipation that will a friend would respond negatively for the
disclosure (e.g., "They would say I would get hurt"). Nonetheless, the vast majority (85%) associated
with participants with FWBR experience had disclosed to some same-sex friend, along with
approximately equal proportions reporting peer approval as well as peer disapproval.
Interestingly, there would end up being a correlation among perceiving an adverse peer response
and the FWBR acquiring more serious or even ending. Thus, this early study suggested that
younger adults were selecting whether or even not for you to disclose with regards to FWBRs based
upon anticipated peer reactions, peers had been reacting in a variety of ways compared to always
be able to that disclosure, and peer reactions correlated using FWBR outcomes. at present, we
know little about the actual judgments that peers create with regards to those that engage within
FWBRs along with concerning the aspects that might decide if those judgments are generally
positive or perhaps negative.
The sexual double standard
The standard sexual script points too men get strong sexual needs, will often be determined in order
to engage throughout sexual behaviour, and are the initiators of sexual activity, whereas ladies tend
to be less desirous associated with sex, are sexually naive, should only engage throughout sexual
relations inside a committed romantic relationship and for that reason are to behave as gatekeepers
by controlling the progression involving sexual relations (Byers, 1996). Internalization of those

messages can be not even near to harmless, together with traditional sexual script endorsement
playing a job within sexual coercion (Byers, 1996) and serving as a barrier in order to women's
sexual assertiveness, such as discouraging a woman coming from initiating sexual
contact, communicating needs, wants as well as concerns to some partner, discussing safer sex
practices, or perhaps refusing sexual actions altogether (Greene & Faulkner, 2005). Your traditional
sexual script involves any sexual double standard (SDS), which dictates differential acceptance
involving sexual behaviours for ladies along with men (Greene & Faulkner, 2005). When the
SDS was first conceptualized, it absolutely was viewed as a paradigm which shaped attitudes
toward premarital sex (Reiss, 1967). Even though cultural changes have since resulted throughout a
lot more permissive attitudes toward sexuality (Petersen & Hyde, 2010), some research points too
women continue to be observed a lot more negatively with regard to engaging inside sex away from
boundaries of a new romantic relationship, with regard to having multiple sexual partners, and also
for behaving within ways that display sexual assertiveness (Crawford & Popp, 2003; Milhausen &
Herold, 1999).
It is achievable the existence associated with an SDS depends on the context of the sexual activity.
in the scenario-based study, Jonason and Marks (2009) discovered absolutely no proof an SDS
within respondents' evaluations of characters engaging in sexual behaviours inside the context of
the monogamous sexual relationship, but an SDS does emerge for characters concerned
in "threesomes." Reid, Elliott and Webber (2011) in addition found evidence of the contemporary
SDS when presenting members together with a scenario describing any hookup adopted by a chaste
date. Although participants judged female characters in the hookup scenario within this kind of
way as for you to suggest which they granted which character sexual agency comparable to their
male counterpart, their evaluations in the sexless post-hookup date suggested which male as well as
female characters had different motivations which fell inside series using traditional gender
stereotypes (e.g., the particular female character has been engaging within impression-management
to correct your ex reputation after engaging in casual sex, your male character was just interested
in sex and this was any "pity date"). Thus, their particular research involving a non-traditional
context with regard to sexual activity--the hookup--suggests that there offers some evidence for any
contemporary variation of the SDS.
This leaves some uncertainty concerning FWBRs. Upon the one hand, both hookups and FWBRs are
usually types of casual sexual relationships which lie outside of the classic romantic relationship
script and also may therefore always be susceptible to end up being able to double standards. Upon
another hand, FWBRs, which are usually seen as much less casual than additional forms of casual
sex scripts (e.g., booty call, 1 night stands; Wentland & Reissing, 2011) may be viewed weight loss
suitable and, therefore, not necessarily involve an SDS. Another possibility is that the particular
monogamous nature in the interaction is important. In Which is, 1 FWBR may be seen as
acceptable, but simultaneous relationships or sexual partners might not. Based on interviews along
with small adults using FWBR experience, Weaver et al., (2011) found a new commonly reported
perception which women will be judged more negatively than men with regard to their participation
throughout FWBRs. Yet Another potential influence about individual's judgments regarding other
people within FWBRs might be their own FWBR experience. people who have experienced an
FWBR themselves might end up being much more positive within their judgments involving others
simply because of a shared perspective. However, this may depend around the gender regarding
the individual or even the gender regarding the individual they may well be judging.
The present study
Researchers get found that greater than half of school students report engaging inside an FWBR at
some point in their lives (Bisson & Levine 2009); however, small is well known about how precisely

those who experience FWBRs are usually judged by others, such as his or her peers. FWBRs, a nontraditional relationship type, might always be outside associated with the realm of the traditional
sexual script; however, it is not recognized if the SDS applies to FWBRs. given the actual abovementioned negative consequences associated along with endorsement of the conventional sexual
script (e.g., sexual coercion, discouraging women's sexual assertiveness) and the unique aspects of
FWBRs (i.e., the particular blending of friendship behaviours and sexual behaviours, a lot more
casual than a conventional romantic relationship and less casual when in comparison to be able to a
hookup), it is really important to investigate whether or not really the particular SDS exists in this
type of relationship. This examination could add clarity to analyze suggesting the SDS will be
evolving, but is still evident in any few relational/sexual contexts. Finally, the majority regarding
active studies inside the FWBR literature tend to be descriptive or correlational throughout nature.
Your use associated with randomly assigned scenarios was chosen for the current research for you
to prevent the pitfalls involving self-report explicit measures of the SDS, pertaining to that social
desirability biases might be any factor.
The existing analysis concerned a new quasi-experimental style wherein participants responded in
order to hypothetical FWBR scenarios in which the manipulated variables were the gender of the
character being described and your FWBR encounter of this character. A Pair Of respondentlevel variables had been in addition investigated: respondent gender along with respondent
FWBR experience. Provided meta-analytic findings in which men continue to report more positive
attitudes towards casual sex as compared to ladies (Petersen & Hyde, 2010), we expected male
members to become able to assess the scenarios and the major character more positively. The
Actual current research thus tested four broad hypotheses.
Hypothesis 1: Male respondents would rate scenario characters more positively, create much more
positive relationship predictions, record a lower need for your character to keep the relationship
secret, and also predict more positive judgments from others in contrast together with female
respondents.
Hypothesis 2: Respondents who statement getting their really own FWBR experience would rate the
particular scenario characters more positively than respondents reporting zero experience in
FWBRs.
Based about research suggesting the SDS nonetheless exists for non-traditional relationship
contexts (e.g., Jonason & Marks, 2009) and that, in a minimum, you will find lingering perceptions
involving an SDS within FWBRs (Weaver et al., 2011), we hypothesized that will male characters
and their relationships would be evaluated much more positively when compared with will be
the case with regard to female characters.
Hypothesis 3: When the key character is male, the character would be judged more positively,
relationship predictions could be more positive, your requirement for secrecy will be lower, as well
as others' judgments could be expected to become a lot more positive when compared with once the
main character will be female.
Hypothesis 4: While scenarios involved a new major character experiencing their initial FWBR, the
actual character will be judged more positively than would characters depicted as being associated
with multiple FWBRs, as well as this would become particularly so for female characters (i.e.,
interaction effect).
METHODS

Demographic Scale
Participants had been motivated to respond to some series of products relating to demographic
characteristics, like age, gender along with partnership status. Embedded within this scale,
individuals were provided having a definition of FWBRs (i.e., ongoing sexual relationships among
individuals that do not define their own relationship as romantic) and also were requested when
they had experienced such a relationship. This specific ended up being followed by means of a
series of descriptive questions. When they will had not experienced an FWBR, these people
were asked to react to no much less than one merchandise indicating their willingness to
participate in an FWBR inside the future (1 = not really at all prepared to 5 = extremely willing). If
they will indicated in which they'd experienced an FWBR, these were also asked in order to indicate
the quantity of FWBRs that that they had experienced, at what age group their first FWBR
experience occurred, and also whether or even not drugs or alcohol were consumed prior towards
the very first sexual involvement using their the majority of recent FWBR partner. Finally, a pair of
concerns upon 5point Likert scales asked whether your participant would think about participating
throughout an FWBR once more (1 = certainly not in virtually any way prone to 5 = very likely) and
just how that they would price the general overall valence of their own experiences within FWBRs
(1 = very negative for you to 5 = really positive).
Scenario
Participants were randomly assigned questionnaires such as one version of a scenario. The
Particular fundamental composition of each scenario concerned a 19-year-old scholar in their initial
year. the student becomes friends with an opposite-sex male as well as female student. Right After
some time as friends, both eventually engage throughout sexual intercourse. They have engaged in
sexual exercise several times since the extremely first encounter. Lastly, your scenario states the
student offers either never experienced this kind of relationship before, as well as the student has
a similar ongoing relationship with 2 additional male as well as female friends of theirs (with the
same gender since the earlier mentioned FWBR sexual partner).
Scenario score form
Each scenario ended up being instantly followed by a score scale applying to the main character
described in the scenario. Individuals were presented using 15 descriptors (e.g., mature,
irresponsible) and asked to indicate how well each corresponds for the major character on a scale
from 1 (does certainly not describe in all) for you to 5 (describes really well). Participants' ratings
were combined into a single score labelled Character Perception, along with higher scores
indicating a lot more positive judgments (Cronbach's alpha regarding .83). The Actual next portion
of the rating scale included 10 products employing a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly
disagree) for you to 5 (strongly agree). 4 regarding these products assessed predictions in regards
for you to the outcome in the hypothetical relationship [e.g., "This relationship is planning to be an
optimistic encounter with regard to (main character name)]" along with had been combined right in
to a single factor, Relationship Prediction (Cronbach's alpha involving .59), using higher scores
indicating a lot more positive predictions about the outcome involving the FWBR. four additional
products assessed beliefs about others' judgments with the FWBR character [e.g., "If people learn
about (main character name)'s relationship, they'll likely say that (he or she) is actually
promiscuous"] and also were combined into a single aspect to make up the criterion variable,
Others' Judgments (Cronbach's alpha of .73), along with higher scores indicating more positive
peer judgments. two items assessed the actual perceived require for the character to keep the
FWBR secret [e.g., "(Main character name) will probably want to keep this relationship secret
coming from (his/her) friends."] and were mixed for you to assess Want pertaining to Secrecy

(Cronbach's alpha involving .74), with higher scores indicating the greater need for secrecy.
Participants
The members pertaining to this research had been 404 undergraduate student volunteers (227
female and also 177 male) utilized by any variety of undergraduate programs (although your
majority had been Introductory Psychology students) with a primarily undergraduate college
throughout Atlantic Canada. The Actual survey ended up being completed in classrooms throughout
scheduled class times or within the Human Sexuality Analysis Lab. the imply age group
of participants in the research ended up being 19.77 (SD = 3.0) with a range coming from 17 to 43.
Half with the members (n = 202) weren't involved having a partner at the duration of the survey. of
the particular remainder, 99 were exclusively dating one partner, 51 were casually dating one
partner, 26 had been cohabitating with their own romantic partner, 18 were casually dating greater
than one partner, three individuals were married, as well as 5 participants indicated "other." The
Actual vast majority regarding individuals (97.3%) identified as heterosexual.
RESULTS
Descriptive statistics
For your respondents which reported having experienced an FWBR (52.5%), prevalence didn't differ
significantly by gender, [chi square] (1, 404) = 1.5, p = .22. the average quantity of prior FWBRs
has been 2.29 (SD = 2.19) and the typical ages of initial FWBR expertise ended up being 17.40 (SD
= 2.04), and also 52.6% indicated that will drugs or alcohol (see Table 1) were consumed just
before his or her 1st involvement with their most recent partner. Respondents along with FWBR
experience had significantly a lot more lifetime sexual partners compared for you to those without
FWBR experience, t(395) = -6.37, p < .001. The Actual vast majority of people with FWBR
encounter (82.3%) rated their FWBR experiences as getting neutral (37.6%), somewhat
positive (35.7%) or even extremely positive (9%). Furthermore, 54.7% associated with those along
with FWBR experience indicated which they will be somewhat likely (25.5%) as well as very likely
(29.2%) for you to engage throughout an FWBR once again in the future. Involving
those respondents whom did not have previous FWBR experience, 52.9% indicated that they will be
neutral (30.8%), somewhat prepared (15.1%) or perhaps very willing (7%) in order to participate in
an FWBR within the future.
Hypothesis testing
The multivariate option with the General Linear Model (GLM) program in your Statistical Plan for
the Social Sciences, variation 18 (SPSS 18) was utilized to investigate relationships between the
impartial variables (respondent gender, respondent FWBR experience, character gender, character
FWBR experience) and the dependent variables (character perceptions, relationship predictions,
others' judgments, along with need for secrecy).
Respondent gender
For the initial hypothesis, it had been predicted that will male respondents would charge scenario
characters much more positively, make a lot more positive relationships predictions, record a lower
dependence on secrecy regarding the character, along with predict much more positive judgments
via others in comparison with female respondents. A New significant multivariate principal impact
for respondent gender ended up being found, Wilks' Lambda = .94, F(4, 385) = 6.50, p < .001.
Male respondents judged the actual scenario characters more positively (M = 3.22, SD = .54) as

compared to did female respondents (M = 2.96, SD = .58). Male respondents also produced much
more positive predictions about the relationship (M = 2.85, SD = .67) when compared with do
female respondents (M = 2.65, SD = .61). Male and also female respondents didn't differ within
either their anticipations about others' judgments or the requirement for secrecy in association
with the FWBR relationships in the scenarios.
Respondent FWBR experience
For the 2nd hypothesis, it absolutely was predicted in which respondents who reported having
FWBR expertise would price the scenario characters more positively compared to respondents
reporting simply no private experience regarding an FWBR. A significant multivariate major impact
pertaining to respondent FWBR experience was found, Wilks' Lambda = .97, F(4, 385) = 2.66, p <
.05. Respondents with FWBR experience judged the actual scenario characters more positively (M
= 3.17, SD = .56) when compared with would respondents without having FWBR experience (M =
2.98, SD = .57). Although a certain prediction has been not made inside the second hypothesis with
regards to scenario relationships, it had been also noted which respondents with FWBR expertise
created a lot more positive predictions concerning the relationships inside the scenarios (M = 2.82,
SD = .64) than does respondents with out FWBR encounter (M = 2.64, SD = .65). Respondents
with along with without having FWBR encounter failed to differ throughout their expectations about
either others' judgments as well as dependence on secrecy.
Character gender
For the third hypothesis, it had been predicted that, if the main character has been male, character
judgments, relationship predictions and others' judgments would be a lot more positive, as well as
the need for secrecy would become lower, compared to if the primary character has been female.
Any significant multivariate major effect regarding character gender has been found,
Wilks' Lambda = .48, F(4, 385) = 105.91, p < .001. Contrary in order to our hypothesis, male
characters are not judged a lot more positively than female characters. However, as hypothesized,
members had much more positive relationship predictions pertaining to male characters (M = 2.85,
SD = .61) than for female characters (M = 2.61, SD = .67), expected other people to become able to
judge male characters much more positively (M = 3.73, SD = .60) as compared to
female characters (M= 2.46, SD = .73) and reported less need for secrecy for male characters (M=
2.64, SD = 1.01) compared to female characters (M = 3.58, SD = .75).
Character FWBR experience
For your fourth hypothesis, it absolutely was predicted that, when the scenario depicted a character
in their very first FWBR, your character will be judged more positively than others depicted
engaging within multiple FWBRs, but this would end up being especially true regarding female
characters. a significant multivariate major impact regarding character expertise has been found,
Wilks' Lambda = .74, F(4, 385) = 33.41, p < .001. As hypothesized, when the scenario depicted a
character in their initial FWBR, respondents judged the characters a lot more positively (M = 3.36,
SD = .49) compared to when characters were associated with multiple FWBRs (M = 2.83, SD =
.52). Although we did not help make certain predictions with regards to character FWBR encounter
in relation to relationship perceptions, others' judgments, or need for secrecy, respondents
furthermore created a lot more positive relationship predictions when characters were within their
first FWBR (M = 2.86, SD = .61) compared to when characters had been within multiple FWBRs (M
= 2.63, SD = .66) and expected other people in order to judge characters inside their initial FWBR
more positively (M = 3.37, SD = .81) than others with multiple FWBRs (M = 2.91, SD = .95). Right
now there were zero variances in respondents' expectations in regards to be able to the dependence

on secrecy associated together with whether characters had been in their very first FWBR as well as
had multiple FWBRs.
A significant two-way interaction effect involving character gender and character FWBR expertise
was discovered [Wilks' Lambda = .97, F(4, 385)= 3.20, p < .05]. The Actual impact associated with
scenario character FWBR experience about anticipations regarding others' judgments [F(1,388)=
6.89, p < .01] and also the need for secrecy [F(1,388) = 9.38, p < .01] differed depending in
whether as well as certainly not the character had been male or even female. Overall, respondents
predicted a lot more negative judgments through other people pertaining to characters with
multiple FWBR experiences when compared with with regard to characters who were in an
FWBR for the extremely first time. However, as may be observed in Figure 1, others' judgments
had been predicted being a lot more negative for female characters with multiple FWBRs as
compared to with regard to female characters getting their particular 1st FWBR experience as well
as for male characters (regardless involving their particular FWBR experience). Similarly, although
your dependence on secrecy didn't differ with regard to male characters with or even with out
FWBR experience, contributors expected a higher need for secrecy regarding female characters
having multiple FWBRs than for females getting his or her very first FWBR (see Figure 2).
[FIGURE one OMITTED]
[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]
DISCUSSION
The purpose with the current research ended up becoming to check out aspects that
might influence adults' judgments involving others who participate in friends-with-benefits
relationships. Specifically, the actual existing study added for the limited information on FWBRs by
utilizing a quasi-experimental methodology to analyze gender along with FWBR experience with
relation to judgments associated with individuals throughout hypothetical FWBR scenarios, to be
able to explore whether a conventional sexual double regular exists. The Actual outcomes from the
present research supported the general hypotheses which character gender, character FWBR
experience, respondent gender and respondent FWBR experience might be correctly used to predict
judgments of characters in hypothetical FWBRs.
Similar to other analysis utilizing college student samples, just over half with the members had
experienced an FWBR. There had been absolutely no gender difference in reported FWBR
experience. This really is consistent by incorporating of the present literature upon FWBRs
demonstrating no gender difference (e.g., Bisson and Levine, 2009), along with inconsistent along
with various other findings that discovered that men had been much a lot more likely for you to
record FWBR expertise (e.g., Owen & Fincham, 2011).

Respondent gender
As hypothesized, male respondents produced the most positive character evaluations, judging both
male and also female characters inside scenarios more positively compared to does female
respondents and creating a lot more positive predictions in regards to become able to the
hypothetical relationship. This particular result is consistent with a current meta-analysis
demonstrating which certainly 1 of the actual few areas where there carries on to be a new modest
gender difference is in reported attitudes toward casual sex, along with males reporting a lot more

positive attitudes (Petersen & Hyde, 2010). This ought for you to be noted, however, that although
females created relatively much more negative judgments in the scenario character when compared
with men overall, their judgments were simply slightly under the neutral scale midpoint, whereas
judgments through men had been solidly neutral. Thus, although lower, women's judgments were
not particularly negative.
Sexual double standard: Perception, however, not reality?
Contrary to our hypotheses based on the conventional sexual script, female characters are not
judged much more negatively than male characters. Further, despite the very fact that characters
depicted within scenarios as getting more casual sex encounter were judged much more negatively
all round as compared to those with less experience, it was not stronger pertaining to female
characters. This lack associated with proof of an SDS could represent a new cultural change in
a formerly widespread script. However, although female characters were not judged more
negatively than male characters, the results suggest that there may be a perception of the double
standard. Respondents anticipated more positive outcomes associated with the relationship when
the primary character was male. perhaps this reflects your perception that will heterosexual men
have the the majority of energy inside our culture and, therefore, could be expected in order to
have more positive outcomes across a variety of domains in contrast to women. Whenever scenarios
contained female principal characters, respondents were more likely to indicate that will the
partnership outcome could be more negative, that will others would judge the girl negatively, along
with that they should try in order to maintain the relationship any secret. Any study involving
adolescent girls' sexual behaviour says girls perceived that there was an SDS when it came for the
quantity regarding sexual experience (even though gifts with more sexual partners weren't
reporting lower popularity or self-esteem), however usually reported receiving assistance and
acceptance from their own close peer network which in turn buffered the actual external SDS
(Lyons, Giordano, Manning, & Longmore, 2011). Particularly associated in order to FWBRs, most
contributors using FWBR experience in a research simply by Hughes et al., (2005) reported getting
disclosed with regards to their particular FWBR experience along with almost equal proportions
involving positive as well as negative peer responses had been reported. Thus, there seems being
the gap in between expectations associated with positive friend responses as well as anticipations
associated with negative repercussions in a larger peer group.
Research in motives for engaging in FWBRs as well as factors that will predict subjective valence
associated with FWBR outcomes could also illuminate your current findings of more negative
relationship predictions for ladies than for men. Females happen for you to be found to emphasize
the actual mental link in FWBRs more than men (Lehmiller, VanderDrift, & Kelly, 2011).
The development of unequal feelings among partners continues to end up being able to be identified
in several studies like a primary likelihood of FWBRs (Bisson & Levine, 2009; Weaver et al., 2011).
This specific issue is actually a major aspect related with negative outcomes (Gusarova, et al.,
2012), and ladies tend to be much more likely to enter an FWBR hoping that will it will develop in
for you to a more traditional romantic relationship (Gusarova, et al.). Therefore, contributors inside
the current study might possess anticipated a lot more negative outcomes for women because
females are more vulnerable for the prospective negative outcomes, a possibility requiring further
research.
Respondent's very own FWBR experience
As anticipated, respondents along with their particular FWBR experiences rated characters a lot
more positively than those without FWBR experience. This is not shocking along with could
probably be explained in many ways. Regarding somebody who has had an FWBR in order to judge

another individual harshly for their particular FWBR involvement could induce cognitive
dissonance, which usually describes any sense of tension/discomfort which is developed by an
individual holding two discrepant cognitions that the person will be motivated to reduce by making
these cognitions much more steady (Festinger, 1957). Another possibility is actually merely that will
using a shared experience with the character generated a higher a feeling of empathy. Finally, this
could also be an example of your third-variable phenomenon where one more element like greater
erotophilia or perhaps sociosexuality could relate to a greater likelihood of encountering an FWBR
oneself also to getting much more positive views about others' sexual behaviours.
Study limitations and also long term directions
The present study contributes towards the FWBR literature simply by becoming one of the first to
explore judgments involving those who participate in FWBRs and by using a quasi-experimental
design for you to stay away from self-report biases inside the investigation involving sexual double
standards. However, the final results of the current research should be weighed inside the mild of
several limitations. First, although the presentation involving hypothetical scenarios afforded
the ability for you to steer clear of self-report bias inside the reporting of double standards, the
extent to that this would generalize to phenomena while they occur in the "real world" will be
unclear. Also, our dependent variables all had acceptable internal consistency using the exception
of "relationship predictions." The Particular results for relationship prediction ought to
consequently end up being interpreted cautiously. Further, the sample consisted associated with
undergraduate university or college students and, although research indicates a top chance
associated with FWBR encounter amongst university students (e.g., Bisson & Levine, 2009), further
research is needed using much more diverse samples. Contributors inside a qualitative study
involving FWBRs suggested in which FWBRs are usually suitable to the school lifestyle yet could
be less appropriate from then on (Weaver, et al., 2011). Therefore, scenarios involving older
characters may well give a various picture. The current study merely explored hypothetical crosssex relationships. Future research could in addition check out attitudes toward individuals within
same-sex FWBRs. It will be unclear regardless involving whether judgments involving FWBR
practitioners would differ based around the sexual orientation of the practitioner. The stereotypes
or even scripts which exist by what may go wrong in FWBRs often have the gendered message (e.g.,
the actual female becomes attached/emotional and gets hurt; the particular male is utilizing your
female for sex) laden together with implications of power differentials or perceived gender
differences.
The present findings suggest that further analysis around the sexual double regular will be
necessary and also important. Our research and which of others (e.g., Reid, Elliott, & Webber,
2011) shows that the SDS is changing, In the particular event that in which is, within fact, the
particular case, why can there be a new continuing perception of an SDS? Our results, combined
using other latest studies on the SDS, declare that although there happen to always be able to be
shifts in double standard attitudes towards women's sexuality, the particular lingering results of
these traditional beliefs remain in the choice of relation to real attitudes, or perhaps the perception
which such attitudes even now exist. We encourage researchers in this location to make use
involving much less explicit methodologies regarding detecting the SDS, like randomly assigned
scenarios as in the current study and others (Jonason & Marks, 2009; Reid, et al., 2011), or through
using implicit measures (e.g., Sakaluk, & Mllhausen, 2012).
doi: 10.3138/cjhs.2128
Acknowledgement: Portions of this article had been introduced in the annual meeting in the
Canadian Sex Study Forum throughout Ottawa, ON, 2012.

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Angola D. Weaver (1), Marvin Claybourn (2), and Kelly L. MacKeigan (1)
(1) Department of Psychology, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS
(2) Department of Psychology, St. Thomas University, Fredericton, NB
Correspondence with regards to this article should be addressed to Angola Weaver, Department
associated with Psychology, St. Francis Xavier University, P.O. Box 5000, Antigonish, Nova Scotia,
B2G 2W5. Email: aweaver@stfx.ca
Table 1. Descriptive figures for participant FWBR experience FWBR Experience Yes 52.5% No
47.5% N = 404 Number regarding Lifetime FWBRs M = 2.29 SD = 2.19 N = 207 Age in the
beginning FWBR M = 17.40 SD = 2.04 N = 211 Alcohol/drugs Yes 52.6% No 47.4% Lifetime
quantity of FWBRs M = 2.29 SD = 2.19 N = 211 Overall valence associated with FWBRs M =
3.32 SID =.96 N = 210 Very Negative 4.3% Somewhat Negative 13.3% Neutral
37.6% Somewhat Positive 35.7% Very Positive 9.0%

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