Scripting sexual passivity: A gender role perspective

In two studies, we demonstrate that attitudes toward traditional sexual roles are linked with increased sexual passivity for women but decreased passivity for men. For both genders, sexual passivity predicts poor sexual functioning and satisfaction. Study 1 showed that endorsement of traditional sexual roles of male dominance and female passivity relates to greater sexual passivity among college-aged heterosexual women but less passivity for college-aged heterosexual men. For both young men and women, greater sexual passivity predicts less overall sexual satisfaction. The findings for Study 2 replicate Study 1 among sexually experienced adults recruited over the Internet. Autonomy mediated these relationships, which persisted when controlling for multiple potential confounds. Gender roles guide and constrain people’s behavior across a wide range of settings, including intimate relationships. Much research has studied the influence of gender roles in professional and academic settings; far less attention has been directed toward gender roles’ influence within sexual relationships. Because little research has been conducted on sociocultural factors affecting sexual function (Baumeister, 2001) and because genderbased norms and roles likely exert a prominent influence on intimate relationships, we find this lack of attention unfortunate. Because intimate contexts make gender roles salient, men and women may feel compelled to conform to gender roles during sexual encounters (Coward, 1985; Rohlinger, 2002; Sanchez, Crocker, & Boike, 2005). Given the importance of sexual satisfaction for overall relationship satisfaction and longevity (see Sprecher & Cate, 2004, for a review), the effects of gender-based sexual roles on sexual enjoyment have potentially broad implications for romantic relationships. In this paper, we contend that within the United States, gender role conformity indirectly depresses sexual satisfaction for women but not men because traditional gender-based sexual roles dictate sexual passivity for women but sexual agency for men (e.g., Sanchez, Kiefer, & Ybarra, 2006; Tevlin & Leiblum, 1983). We propose that although gender roles should differentially affect men and women, both should experience less sexual satisfaction to the extent that they are sexually passive. Specifically, sexual passivity should increase sexual problems and lower sexual satisfaction by undermining autonomy during sexual activities (Kiefer, Sanchez, Kalinka, & Ybarra, 2006; Sanchez et al., 2006). Past research has provided preliminary support for this contention: College-aged women who reported engaging in passive sexual behavior also reported less sexual arousability, a relationship mediated by reduced autonomy (Sanchez et al., 2006). The present research extends these past studies by addressing two important theoretical concerns. First, theorists have offered numerous explanations for why women would engage in passive Amy K. Kiefer, Department of Psychology, University of California, San Francisco; Diana T. Sanchez, Department of Psychology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. A.K.K. and D.T.S. made equal contributions to this research. Authorship was determined by a coin toss. A.K.K. was supported by a National Institute of Mental Health postdoctoral fellowship during the preparation of this manuscript. The authors wish to thank Denise Sekaqueptewa for her comments on earlier versions of this manuscript. Correspondence should be addressed to AmyK.Kiefer, University of California, Department of Health Psychology, SanFrancisco,CA94143-0848, e-mail: [email protected]. Personal Relationships, 14 (2007), 269–290. Printed in the United States of America. Copyright 2007 IARR. 1350-4126=07