Social scripting theory points to the fact that much of sexual behavior seems to follow a script. Similar to scripts that stage actors use to guide their behavior, social scripts instruct members of a society as to appropriate behavior and the meanings to attach to certain behaviors. In Western cultures, scripts for sexual activity are markedly different for males and females. In this article, the goals are to provide (a) an introduction to social scripting theory, (b) an exploration of the ways and potential reasons sexual scripts differ by gender, and (c) a discussion of ways that a social scripting perspective can be applied to work with individuals and couples experiencing sexual problems.
Alexander, M. G., & Fisher, T. D. (2003). Truth and consequences: Using the bogus pipeline to examine sex differences in self-reported sexuality. Journal of Sex Research, 41, 27-35.
2.
Baumeister, R. F., & Tice, D. M. (2001). The social dimension of sex. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
3.
Brown, N. R., & Sinclair, R. C. (1999). Estimating number of lifetime sexual partners: Men and women do it differently. Journal of Sex Research, 36, 292-297.
4.
Eyre, S. L., Read, N. W., & Millstein, S. G. (1997). Adolescent sexual strategies. Journal of Adolescent Health, 20, 286-293.
5.
Fisher, T. D. (1986). Parent-child communication about sex and young adolescents’ sexual knowledge and attitudes. Adolescence, 21, 517-527.
6.
Gagnon, J. H. (1990). The explicit and implicit use of the scripting perspective in sex research. Annual Review of Sex Research, 1, 1-44.
7.
Gagnon, J. H., & Simon, W. (1973). Sexual conduct: The social sources of human sexuality. Chicago: Aldine.
8.
Garcia, L. I., & Carrigan, D. (1998). Individual and gender differences in sexual self-perceptions. Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality, 10, 59-70.
9.
Geer, J. H., & Broussard, D. B. (1990). Scaling heterosexual behavior and arousal: Consistency and sex differences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58, 664-671.
10.
Gilbert, L. A., Walker, S. J., McKinney, S., & Snell, J. L. (1999). Challenging discourse themes reproducing gender in heterosexual dating: An analog study. Sex Roles, 41, 753-774.
11.
Gilfoyle, J., & Wilson, J. (1992). Sex, organs and audiotape: A discourse analytic approach to talking about heterosexual sex and relationships. Feminism and Psychology, 2, 209-230.
12.
Lippa, R. A. (2001). On deconstructing and reconstructing masculinity-femininity. Journal of Research in Personality, 35, 168-207.
13.
Muehlenhard, C. L., & Hollabaugh, L. C. (1988). Do women sometimes say no when they mean yes? The prevalence and correlates of women’s token resistance to sex. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 872-879.
14.
Muehlenhard, C. L., & Rodgers, C. S. (1998). Token resistance to sex: New perspectives on an old stereotype. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 22, 443-463.
15.
Okami, P., & Shackelford, T. K. (2002). Human sex differences in sexual psychology and behavior. Annual Review of Sex Research, 12, 186-241.
16.
Oliver, M., & Hyde, J. (1993). Gender differences in sexuality: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 114, 2951.
17.
O’Sullivan, L. F., & Allgeier, E. R. (1998). Feigning sexual desire: Consenting to unwanted sexual activity in heterosexual dating relationships. Journal of Sex Research, 35, 234-243.
18.
Purnine, D. M., Carey, M. P., & Jorgenson, R. S. (1994). Gender differences regarding preferences for specific heterosexual practices. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 20, 271-287.
19.
Regan, P. C., & Berscheid, E. (1996). Beliefs about the state, goals, and objects of sexual desire. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 22, 110-120.
20.
Schmitt, D. P., Couden, A., & Baker, M. (2001). The effects of sex and temporal context on feelings of romantic desire: An experimental evaluation of sexual strategies theory. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 833-847.
21.
Sedikides, C., Oliver, M. B., & Campbell, W. K. (1994). Perceived benefits and costs of romantic relationships for women and men: Implications for exchange theory. Personal Relationships, 1, 5-21.
22.
Simon, W., & Gagnon, J. H. (1986). Sexual scripts: Permanence and change. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 15, 97-120.
23.
Simon, W., & Gagnon, J. H. (1987). A sexual scripts approach. In J. H. Geer & W.T.O’Donohue (Eds.), Theories of human sexuality (pp. 363-383). New York: Plenum.
24.
Taris, T. W., & Semin, G. R. (1997). Gender as a moderator of the effect of the love motive and relational context on sexual experience. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 26, 159-180.
