Comparing Gender Differences in Willingness to Accept Same and Other-Sex Dyadic and Multi-Person Sexual Offers: An Examination of the Backlash Effect

Thompson, Ashley and Bensen, Lizzy and Scoats, Ryan (2025) Comparing Gender Differences in Willingness to Accept Same and Other-Sex Dyadic and Multi-Person Sexual Offers: An Examination of the Backlash Effect. Behavioral Sciences, 15 (8). ISSN 2076-328X

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Abstract

Proponents of Sexual Script Theory (Simon & Gagnon, 1984) posit that men and women differ in their sexual behaviors/motivations, often due to culturally ingrained expectations. When these expectations are violated, individuals may face stigma, particularly in nontraditional contexts like mixed-sex threesomes (MSTs). This study examined gender differences in heterosexual adults’ anticipated stigma and willingness to accept various sexual offers, including dyadic and MST offers involving same- and other-sex partners, through the lens of the backlash effect (i.e., the anticipation of stigma for participating in sexual behaviors that contradict societal expectations). A total of 540 heterosexual U.S. adults read vignettes depicting hypothetical sexual invitations and completed measures assessing anticipated stigma and willingness to engage. Results revealed that men anticipated less stigma and were more willing to accept sexual offers than women. Participants also anticipated less stigma and reported greater willingness to accept other-sex dyadic offers as compared to same-sex or MST offers. However, men reported the highest anticipated stigma and lowest willingness for same-sex dyadic offers, suggesting a novel backlash effect against men engaging in gender non-conforming behaviors. These findings offer support for the persistence of the sexual double standard and provide evidence for gendered backlash effects, including those impacting heterosexual men.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.3390/bs15081128
Dates:	Date Event 10 August 2025 Accepted 20 August 2025 Published Online
Uncontrolled Keywords:	sexual double standard, backlash effect, mixed-sex threesomes
Subjects:	CAH15 - social sciences > CAH15-01 - sociology, social policy and anthropology > CAH15-01-02 - sociology
Divisions:	Law and Social Sciences > Criminology and Sociology > Sociology
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	19 Aug 2025 12:04
Last Modified:	29 Sep 2025 14:55
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/16599

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