WOMENS PERCEPTIONS OF FEMALE CONTRACEPTIVE BEHAVIOR - EXPERIMENTAL-EVIDENCE OF THE SEXUAL DOUBLE-STANDARD

A social perception study was conducted to examine the effect of the s exual double standard on impressions of a female target. As part of a ''social memory'' study, 57 female undergraduates read a fictitious wo man's diary describing a sexual encounter where the woman provided a c ondom, the man provided a condom, or the couple had unprotected interc ourse. Participants made behavioral judgments and interpersonal judgme nts about the couple, and rated the female target on several personali ty traits. Women rated the target's behavior more negatively, and as m ore inappropriate, when she provided a condom, than when her partner p rovided a condom. Participants also assumed that the target's partner would feel less positive about her when she provided a condom than if he provided a condom or if they had unprotected intercourse. These res ults are discussed with respect to the continued existence of the sexu al double standard, and its impact on women's contraceptive behavior.