Sex survey responses show a double standard
The assumption that men have more active sex lives than women may be based on research that shows women have been less than forthright about their behavior. A new study has found that women tend to err on the side of what they believe is more socially acceptable.
Researchers gave questionnaires to 201 unmarried students divided into three groups. Women who thought researchers might see the responses reported less than half the number of sexual partners compared with that reported by those who were connected to a sham lie detector. In between were those who completed the survey in private.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. July 25, 2003 For The Record
Los Angeles Times Friday July 25, 2003 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 54 words Type of Material: Correction
Study authors -- A Health article Monday about women’s responses to sex surveys incorrectly identified one of the researchers, Terri Fisher, as the lead author. Fisher, an associate professor of psychology at Ohio State University, was coauthor of the study with Michele G. Alexander, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Maine.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Monday July 28, 2003 Home Edition Health Part F Page 9 Features Desk 1 inches; 54 words Type of Material: Correction
Study authors -- Last Monday’s Health story about women’s responses to sex surveys incorrectly identified one of the researchers, Terri Fisher, as the lead author. Fisher, an associate professor of psychology at Ohio State University, was coauthor of the study with Michele G. Alexander, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Maine.
There was little difference in responses among the men.
“The double standard remains,” says lead author Terri Fisher, associate professor of psychology at Ohio State University at Mansfield. “In our society, women who are sexually adventurous tend to be stigmatized more than men and so are less likely to admit to that behavior.”
The study was published this year in the Journal of Sex Research.
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-- Dianne Partie Lange
