This study provided a qualitative analysis of 79 young adults' descriptions of
sexual and relational messages they received from their first significant dating
partner. For both men and women, the most frequent theme concerned the
negotiation of first sexual intercourse with that partner; other themes di fered
by gender. Women reported receiving messages from male partners that indicated a
high interest in sexual activity as well as pressure to engage in sexual
activity. Women's responses to these messages often involved giving in to
unwanted sexual activity. Men reported receiving messages from female partners
concerning setting sexual boundaries; they responded to these messages with both
acceptance and frustration. Accounts of first significant dating relationships
also included discussions of having learned from these relationships, suggesting
that experiences with first significant dating partners may have lasting sexual
and relational influences. These results suggest the presence of complementary
gendered messages that contribute to the reproduction of compulsory
heterosexuality, gendered power imbalances, and sexual coercion.
Brown, B.B.
(1999) `“You're Going Out with Who?”:
Peer Group Influences on Adolescent Romantic Relationships', in
W. Furman
,
B.B. Brown
and
C. Feiring
(eds) The Development of Romantic Relationships in Adolescence,
pp. 291—329.
Cambridge : Cambridge University Press
.
2.
Byers, E.S.
(1995) `
How Well does the Traditional Sexual Script Explain Sexual Coercion? Review
of a Program of Research
', Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality8(1—2):
7—25
.
3.
Byers, E.S.
and
Lewis, K.
(1988) `
Dating Couples' Disagreements over the Desired level of Sexual Intimacy
' Journal of Sex Research24:
15—29
.
4.
Charmaz, K.
(1983) `The Grounded Theory Method: An explication and
interpretation', in
R.E. Emerson
(ed.) Contemporary Field Research: A Collection of Readings, pp.
109—26.
Boston, MA: Little, Brown
.
5.
Connolly, J.A.
and
Johnson, A.M.
(1996) `
Adolescents' Romantic Relationships and the Structure and Quality of the
Close Interpersonal Ties
', Personal Relationships3(2):
185—95
.
6.
Crawford, I.
,
Thomas, S.
and
Zoller, D.
(1993) `
Communication and Level of AIDS Knowledge among Homeless African-American
Mothers and their Children', Journal of Health &Social Policy4(4):
37—53
.
7.
DiIorio, C.
,
Pluhar, E.
and
Belcher, L.
(2003) `
Parent—Child Communication about Sexuality: A Review of the
Literature from 1980—2002'
, Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention & Education for
Adolescents & Children5(3—4):
7—32
.
8.
Fay, J.
and
Yanoff, J.M.
(2000) `
What are Teens Telling us About Sexual Health?Results of the Second Annual Youth Conference of the Pennsylvania Coalition
to Prevent Teen Pregnancy', Journal of Sex Education and Therapy
25(2—3): 169—77.
9.
Feiring. C.
(1999) `Gender Identity and the Development of Romantic
Relationships in Adolescence', in
W. Furman
,
B.B. Brown
and
C. Feiring
(eds) The Development of Romantic Relationships in Adolescence,
pp. 211—32.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
.
10.
Fine, M.
(1988) `
Sexuality, Schooling, and Adolescent Females: The Missing Discourse of Desire
', Harvard Educational Review58(1):
29—53
.
11.
Fox, G.L.
and
Inazu, J.K.
(1980) `
Patterns and Outcomes of Mother—Daughter Communication and
Teenagers' Contraceptive Use
', Family Planning Perspectives16(4):
163—70
.
12.
Frith, H.
and
Kitzinger, C.
(2001) `
Reformulating Sexual Script Theory: Developing a Discursive Psychology of
Sexual Negotiation', Theory &Psychology11(2):
209—32
.
13.
Furman, W.
and
Wehner, E.A.
(1997) `
Adolescent Romantic Relationships: A Developmental Perspective
', in S. Shulman and W.A. Collins (eds)
Romantic Relationships in Adolescence: Developmental Perspectives
. New Directions for Child Development, No. 78, pp.
21—36
.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass
.
14.
Gagnon, J.H.
and
Simon, W.
(1973) Sexual Conduct: The Social Sources of Human
Sexuality .
Chicago: Aldine Publishing Company
.
15.
Galambos, N.L.
,
Almeida, D.
and
Petersen, A.C.
(1990) `
Masculinity, Femininity, and Sex Role Attitudes in Early Adolescence:
Exploring Gender Intensification
', Child Development61(6):
1905—14
.
16.
Gavey, N.
(1993) `Technologies and Effects of Heterosexual
Coercion ', in
S. Wilkinson
and
C. Kitzinger
(eds) Heterosexuality: A Feminism and Psychology Reader, pp.
93—119.
London: Sage
.
17.
Glaser, B.G.
and
Strauss, A.L.
(1967) The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for
Qualitative Research.
Chicago: Aldine
.
18.
Hill, J.
and
Lynch, M.T.
(1983) `The Intensification of Gender-related Role
Expectations During Early Adolescence', in
J. Brooks-Gunn
and
A. Petersen
(eds) Girls at Puberty, pp.
201—28.
New York: Plenum
.
19.
Hird, M.J.
and
Jackson, S.
(2001) `
Where “Angels” and “Wusses”
Fear to Tread: Sexual Coercion in Adolescent Heterosexual Dating Relationships
', Journal of Sociology37(1):
27—43
.
20.
Huston, M.
and
Schwartz, P.
(2002) `Gendered Dynamics in the Romantic Relationships of
Lesbians and Gay Men', in
A. Hunter
and
C. Forden
(eds) Readings in the Psychology of Gender: Exploring our Di ferences
and Commonalities, pp. 167—78.
Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon
.
21.
Impett, E.A.
and
Peplau, L.A.
(2003) `
Sexual Compliance: Gender, Motivational, and Relationship Perspectives
', Journal of Sex Research40(1):
87—100
.
22.
Jackson, S.
(2005) `“
I'm 15 and Desperate for Sex”: “Doing” and
“Undoing” Desire in Letters to a Teenage Magazine
', Feminism & Psychology15(3):
295—313
.
23.
Jackson, S.M.
and
Cram, F.
(2003) `
Disrupting the Sexual Double Standard: Young Women's Talk about Heterosexuality
', British Journal of Social Psychology42(1):
113—27
.
24.
Kimmel, M.
(1997) `Masculinity as Homophobia: Fear, Shame, and Silence
in the Construction of Gender Identity', in
M.M. Gergen
and
S.N. Davis
(eds) Toward a New Psychology of Gender, pp.
223—42.
Florence
, KY: Taylor & Frances/
Routledge
.
25.
Kitzinger, C.
and
Wilkinson, S.
(1993) `Theorizing Heterosexuality', in
S. Wilkinson
and
C. Kitzinger
(eds) Heterosexuality: A Feminism & Psychology Reader ,
pp. 1—32.
London: Sage
.
26.
Littleton, H.L.
and
Axsom, D.
(2003) `
Rape and Seduction Scripts of University Students: Implications for Rape
Attributions and Unacknowledged Rape'
, Sex Roles49(9—10):
465—75
.
27.
Martin, K.A.
(1996) Puberty, Sexuality, and the Self: Boys and Girls at
Adolescence. Florence, KY: Taylor & Frances/
Routledge
.
28.
McCormick, N.B.
,
Brannigan, G.G.
and
LaPlante, M.N.
(1984) `
Social Desirability in the Bedroom: Role of Approval Motivation in Sexual Relationships'
, Sex Roles11(3—4):
303—14
.
29.
McLean, K.C.
and
Thorne, A.
(2003) `
Late Adolescents' Self-Defining Memories About Relationships
', Developmental Psychology39(4):
635—45
.
30.
McPhillips, K.
,
Braun, V.
and
Gavey, N.
(2001) `
Defining (Hetero)sex: How Imperative is the “Coital Imperative”?
', Women's Studies International Forum24(2):
229—40
.
31.
Miller, B.C.
and
Benson, B.
(1999) `Romantic and Sexual Relationship Development During
Adolescence', in
W. Furman
,
B.B. Brown
and
C. Feiring
(eds) The Development of Romantic Relationships in Adolescence ,
pp. 99—121.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
.
32.
Morr, M.C.
and
Mongeau, P.A.
(2004) `
First-date Experiences: The Impact of Sex of Initiator, Alcohol
Consumption, and Relationship Type
', Communication Research31(1):
3—35
.
33.
Muehlenhard, C.L.
and
Peterson, Z.D.
(2005) `
Wanting and Not Wanting Sex: The Missing Discourse of Ambivalence
', Feminism & Psychology15(1):
15—20
.
34.
O'Sullivan, L.F.
(1995) `
Less is more: The Effects of Sexual Experience on Judgments of Men's and
Women's Personality Characteristics and Relationship Desirability'
, Sex Roles33(3—4):
159—80
.
35.
O'Sullivan, L.F.
(2005) `
Sexual Coercion in Dating Relationships: Conceptual and Methodological Issues
', Sexual and Relationship Therapy20(1):
3—11
.
36.
O'Sullivan, L.F.
and
Allgeier, E.R.
(1998) `
Feigning Sexual Desire: Consenting to Unwanted Sexual Activity in
Heterosexual Dating Relationships
', Journal of Sex Research35(3):
234—43
.
37.
O'Sullivan, L.F.
and
Byers, E.S.
(1992)
`College Students' Incorporation of Initiator and Restrictor Roles in
Sexual Dating Interactions
', Journal of Sex Research29(3):
435—46
.
38.
O'Sullivan, L.F.
and
Byers, E.S.
(1993) `
Eroding Stereotypes: College Women's Attempts to Influence Reluctant Male
Sexual Partners
', Journal of Sex Research30(3):
270—82
.
39.
O'Sullivan, L.F.
and
Byers, E.S.
(1995) `
Gender Differences in Responses to Discrepancies in Desired Level of Sexual Intimacy
', Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality8(1—2):
49—67
.
40.
Phillips, L.M.
(2000) Flirting with Danger: Young Women's Reflections on
Sexuality and Domination.
New York: New York University Press
.
41.
Rich, A.
(1980) `
Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence
', Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society5(4):
631—60
.
42.
Rubin, L.
(1990) Erotic Wars.
New York: Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux
.
43.
Thomson, R.
and
Holland, J.
(1993) `
Young Women and Safer Sex: Constraints and Strategies
', Health Psychology Update2(12):
10—16
.
44.
Thorne, A.
and
McLean, K.C.
(2002) `
Gendered Reminiscence Practices and Self-definition in Late Adolescence
', Sex Roles46(9—10):
261—71
.
Tolman, D.L.
,
Striepe, M.I.
and
Harmon, T.
(2003) `
Gender Matters: Constructing a Model of Adolescent Sexual Health
', Journal of Sex Research40(1):
4—12
.
49.
Tolman, D.L.
,
Spencer, R.
,
Rosen-Reynoso, M.
and
Porche, M.V.
(2003) `
Sowing the Seeds of Violence in Heterosexual Relationships: Early
Adolescents Narrate Compulsory Heterosexuality
', Journal of Social Issues59(1):
159—78
.
50.
Tolman, D.L.
,
Spencer, R.
,
Harmon, T.
,
Rosen-Reynoso, M.
and
Striepe, M.
(2004) `Getting Close, Staying Cool: Early Adolescent Boys'
Experiences with Romantic Relationships', in
N. Way
and
J. Chu
(eds) Adolescent Boys: Exploring Diverse Cultures of Boyhood, pp.
235—55.
New York: New York University Press
.
51.
Ward, L.M.
(2003) `
Understanding the Role of Entertainment Media in the Sexual Socialization
of American Youth: A Review of Empirical Research
', Developmental Review23(3):
347—88
.
52.
Wilcox, B.L.
,
Robbennolt, J.K.
,
O'Keeffe, J.E.
and
Pynchon, M.E.
(1996) `
Teen Non-marital Child-bearing and Welfare: The Gap between Research and
Political Discourse
', Journal of Social Issues52(3):
71—90
.
53.
Wood, E.
,
Senn, C.Y.
,
Desmarais, S.
,
Park, L.
and
Verberg, N.
(2002) `
Sources of Information about Dating and their Perceived Influence on Adolescents
', Journal of Adolescent Research17(4):
401—17
.
