The Link between Gender, Sexual Orientation, and the Perception of Cheating Behaviors
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Advisor
John Wilson
Access Type
Event
Start Date
26-4-2024 11:15 AM
End Date
26-4-2024 12:15 PM
Description
People often question the legitimacy of bisexuality, with bisexual men seen as "actually gay" and bisexual women seen as "actually straight” (Yost & Thomas, 2012). We investigated the link between gender, perceptions of sexual orientation, and romantic cheating behaviors. Participants read a scenario depicting either a man or woman in a heterosexual relationship, engaging in same-gender romantic behavior out at a bar. We then assessed participants’ perceptions of cheating behavior and the target’s sexual orientation. In line with this study's hypothesis, a significant difference in perceived cheating behavior was found, as male targets were judged more severely than female targets. It was also found that male targets were rated as significantly more bisexual than female targets. This work will contribute to our understanding of gender differences in the perceptions of bisexuality.
The Link between Gender, Sexual Orientation, and the Perception of Cheating Behaviors
People often question the legitimacy of bisexuality, with bisexual men seen as "actually gay" and bisexual women seen as "actually straight” (Yost & Thomas, 2012). We investigated the link between gender, perceptions of sexual orientation, and romantic cheating behaviors. Participants read a scenario depicting either a man or woman in a heterosexual relationship, engaging in same-gender romantic behavior out at a bar. We then assessed participants’ perceptions of cheating behavior and the target’s sexual orientation. In line with this study's hypothesis, a significant difference in perceived cheating behavior was found, as male targets were judged more severely than female targets. It was also found that male targets were rated as significantly more bisexual than female targets. This work will contribute to our understanding of gender differences in the perceptions of bisexuality.