Are Traditional Gender Role Attitudes Associated With Risky Sexual Behavior and Condom-related Beliefs?

Abstract

Traditional gender role attitudes, which emphasize an unequal distribution of power in the family and stereotypical norms about masculinity, may be associated with unsafe sexual behavior and beliefs in young men and women. This study was designed to examine associations between gender role attitudes including gender-based family role attitudes and masculinity ideology, sexual behaviors, and condom-related beliefs in a sample of sexually active college students (N = 154). Family role attitudes were related to risky condom-related beliefs but not to risky sexual behavior. Masculinity ideology was related to both sexual behaviors and condom-related beliefs but, in some cases, in a direction opposite to that predicted. These unexpected findings and the utility of examining masculinity ideology among women are discussed.The college years are a time of exploration during which men and women gain experience in many arenas including romantic and sexual relationships. They may also be a time when gender, and ideas about gender, are particularly salient. Young people may be exposed to traditional stereotypes in new domains such as stereotypes about men and women in dating relationships or gender roles in fraternities and sororities. In addition, they may be exposed to more progressive attitudes such as lessons on sexism in university classes. In this study we sought to describe college students' gender role attitudes and to examine the associations between these attitudes and risky sexual behavior and condom-related beliefs.

Gender role orientation is associated with health-related quality of life differently among African-American, Hispanic, and White youth

“…These results are consistent with previous studies suggesting that male GRO is linked with better mental health and lower engagement in risk behaviors [1,5,27,33,38,40,42]. The lack of positive associations of androgynous and female GROs with HRQOL among males may stem from the increasing importance of gender conformity during early adolescence.…”

Masculine Gender Roles Associated with Increased Sexual Risk and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration among Young Adult Men

“…42 The diversity of these attributes may be the cause of the measure's low internal reliability, observed in our own study as well as others. 42,43,45 However, additionally, a number of traditional masculine ideologies seen to be related to sexual assault, multiple partners, and partner violence are not included in the MRAS. Some of these specific ideologies include: 1. traditional gendered sexual and relationship scripts, including male control, sexual entitlement, coercive Bseduction,^and sexual dominance in relationships; 2. traditional male behavioral norms, including male aggression, desire for risk/danger, and emotional detachment toward women; 3. sexually conservative and negative attitudes toward women, including views that women should be sexually passive and that a woman's victimization from gender-based violence occurs as a consequence of her aggression, sexual teasing of men, or promiscuity; and 4) adversarial heterosexual relationship norms (e.g., women lie to get what they want from men).…”

“…Those which have been conducted reveal similar findings to that seen in the gender-based violence literature; males with more traditional ideologies are significantly more likely to report sexual infidelity, more casual sex partners, unprotected sex, and negative attitudes toward condoms, with these findings being demonstrated among White, Black and Hispanic young men and adolescent boys. 31,34,39,[40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] Unfortunately comparability of observed gender role associations with IPV perpetration and sexual risk behaviors among men is limited by different measures being used in different fields. Only one male gender roles measure, the Male Role Attitudes Scale (MRAS), 42 has been identified as useful in both the IPV and sexual risk literature.…”

“…Only one male gender roles measure, the Male Role Attitudes Scale (MRAS), 42 has been identified as useful in both the IPV and sexual risk literature. 42,43,45 But there has been no research assessing its association with sexual risk behaviors and IPV perpetration within the same sample.…”

Predicting Condom Use: A Comparison of the Theory of Reasoned Action, the Theory of Planned Behavior and an Extended Model of TPB

“…Participants' age, sex and religiosity may also have an impact on condom use intention and behaviour (Ajzen & Manstead, 2007). Condom use inconsistency or non-use was associated with older college students (Adefuye, Abiona, Balogun, & LukoboDurrel, 2009) and men (Galvez-Buccollini, Delea, Herrera, Gilman, & Paz-Soldan, 2009;Shearer, Hosterman, Gillen, & Lefkowitz, 2005). A more positive attitude towards condoms is associated with greater religiosity (McCree, Wingood, DiClemente, Davies, & Harrington, 2003).…”