Sex differences in the interpersonal behavior of married couples

Bibliographic Data

ID6206029
AuthorsMichael L Barnes (corresponding author), David M Bu (0000-0002-4467-7019), David M Buss
Year1985
Volume48
Issue3
Pages654-661
Publication date1985-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Personality and Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3514 • E-ISSN: 1939-1315
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037//0022-3514.48.3.654
OpenAlexW4241855831
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited18

We sought to identify and predict the major ways in which males and females differ in interpersonal behavior. Self and observer act reports were used to assess performance frequencies of 800 acts in a sample of 93 married couples over a three-month period. Although numerous sex differences were found with respect to each data source, only 69 acts showed significant sex differences across both data sources. Subsequently, these 69 acts were factor analyzed separately for the two data sources in order to identify the major dimensions of sex difference. Four clear and comparable factors emerged from the two analyses: Coercive-Manipulative, Communal, Flashy Attire, and Initiative. Standard masculinity-femininity scales were used to predict composites based on the factor loadings. The California Psychological Inventory Femininity scale correlated highly with most composites for the total sample, suggesting considerable predictive power in identifying dimensions of sex difference. The Spence-Helmreich Extended Personality Attribute Questionnaire scales correlated strongly with the factor composites within sex, but less so for the total sample. Results are discussed in terms of strategies for assessing sex differences in interpersonal behavior, alternative foci of convenience for different masculinity and femininity scales, and the use of multiple data sources to transcend single-source limitations. Differences between males and females have long been of interest to psychologists, as well as to sociologists, anthropologists, and economists. Sex differences historically have been linked to such diverse phenomena as role assignment (e.g., division of labor), social participation (e.g., exclusive men's clubs), child rearing, and social identity. Indeed, sex is the clearest biological typology in human populations, and the presence of this typology has led to some of the most intense political activity in the past two decades. Because of its importance, thousands of studies have been conducted on male-female differences and volumes have been written to distill the themes of these studies (e.g., Maccoby&Jacklin

Developmental psychology · Interpersonal attraction · Interpersonal communication · Interpersonal interaction · Interpersonal relationship · Sexual behavior · Social approval · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Cognitive and psychological constructs research · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology

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