Men’s perceptions of women’s sexual interest: Effects of environmental context, sexual attitudes, and women’s characteristics

Abstract

Men’s perceptions of women’s sexual interest were studied in a sample of 250 male undergraduates, who rated 173 full-body photos of women differing in expressed cues of sexual interest, attractiveness, provocativeness of dress, and the social-environmental context into which the woman’s photo had been embedded. Environmental context significantly influenced men’s judgments of sexual interest, independently of the affective cues of sexual interest themselves and of provocativeness of dress and attractiveness. Cue usage was moderated by men’s risk for sexual aggression, as measured by a rape-myth inventory, with higher-risk men (relative to lower-risk men) relying significantly less on affective cues, relying significantly more on attractiveness, and showing a non-significant tendency to rely more on environmental cues. Men exhibited a moderate degree of insight into individual differences in their cue usage. Analysis of individual differences in cue usage suggested that men’s judgments of women’s momentary sexual interest varied along two dimensions: (1) men who relied more on affective cues were less likely to rely on women’s attractiveness (r = −0.73); and (2) men who were influenced more by provocativeness of dress were also likely to rely more on environmental context (r = 0.49). Results suggest that variation in contextual variables should be included in cognitive-training programs designed to improve the accuracy of men’s judgments of women’s affective responses. Ultimately, such training programs may prove useful as an adjunct to prevention programs for sexual aggression.

Sexual‐perception processes in acquaintance‐targeted sexual aggression

“…It is easy to imagine how risk‐linked operation of all three processes might increase the likelihood of subsequent coercive or aggressive behavior: Decreased sensitivity might make it more difficult to distinguish a woman's later consent and non‐consent cues, a higher baseline justifiability might encourage more rapid and intimate sexual advances, and a more liberal bias might delay recognition of and appropriate responses to a woman's declining interest. Importantly, the current findings, although based on responses to a 21‐item questionnaire, are consistent with prior performance‐based work documenting a role for sexual misperception in sexual coercion and aggression (Farris et al, , ; Treat, Farris et al, ; Treat et al, ; Treat, Hinkel, Smith, & Viken, ; Treat, Viken, Farris, & Smith, ). In particular, sexual‐aggression risk in the current study is associated with both decreased sensitivity and a potentially maladaptive bias.…”

“…A sharper decline in justifiability ratings across items indicates higher sensitivity , whereas a more gradual decline indicates lower sensitivity . We expected that higher‐risk men would show lower sensitivity , consistent with prior performance‐based findings (Farris et al, , ; Treat, Farris et al, ; Treat et al, ; Treat, Hinkel, Smith, & Viken, ; Treat, Viken, Farris, & Smith, ). Figure illustrates higher‐risk men's more gradual reduction in justifiability ratings than lower‐risk men.…”

“…Participants ( n = 1981) were drawn from seven studies in which the revised HPS was administered: (1) Treat, Viken, Farris, and Smith (); n = 176; (2) Treat, Farris et al (); n = 337; (3) Farris et al (); n = 274; (4) Treat, Viken, and Summers (); n = 226; (5) Farris et al (); n = 497; (6) Treat, Viken, Kruschke, and McFall (); n = 221; and (7) Treat, Hinkel, Smith, and Viken (); n = 250. In all seven studies, participants completed the Heterosocial Perception Survey‐Revised (HPS‐R), the Sexual Experiences Survey (SES), and a one‐item Misperception of Sexual Interest (MSI).…”

“…In one line of inquiry, for example, male participants viewed numerous full‐body photographs of women who nonverbally communicated dating‐relevant affect that ranged from extremely rejecting to extremely sexually interested and for which highly reliable normative data were available from college women and experts in sexual perception. Participants either: (a) categorized women's affect (sexually interested, friendly, sad, or rejecting); (b) decided whether a women would respond favorably or unfavorably to a sexual advance; or (c) judged women's sexual interest on a rating scale (Farris, Viken, & Treat, ; Farris, Viken, Treat, & McFall, ; Treat, Church, & Viken, ; Treat, Farris, Viken, & Smith, ; Treat, Hinkel, Smith, & Viken, ; Treat, Viken, Farris, & Smith, ).…”

Religion Causes Decreases in Women’s Provocativeness of Dress

“…Finally, this work has a number of implications for understanding risk behaviors and sexual health. For example, female provocativeness of dress is a cue hypothesized to be misperceived by men as indicative of a woman's sexual interest (Treat, Hinkel, Smith, & Viken, 2016). Indeed, several studies have shown a link between rape supportive attitudes as well as sexual aggression perpetration and reliance on a woman's POD, rather than her affect (Treat, Church, & Viken, 2017).…”