COMMITMENT, INTIMACY, AND WOMENS PERCEPTIONS OF PREMARITAL SEX AND CONTRACEPTIVE READINESS

A person-perception study was conducted to examine the influence of in timacy and commitment on the acceptability of premarital sex and contr aceptive preparedness. Ninety-six women rated a female target's person ality and behavior after reading a diary entry describing a couple's i nitial sexual encounter. The nature of the couple's relationship and w ho provided the condom were manipulated between participants. Women in ferred a committed relationship when intimacy was present. Women rated the target, and her behavior, as more acceptable when she had sex in a relationship with commitment. When she provided a condom, the target was perceived as less nice in the noncommitted than in the committed relationship. When her partner provided the condom, however, commitmen t level did not influence personality ratings.