Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-25wd4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T15:14:01.364Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Disciplining the disciplined: Making sense of the gender gap that lies at the core of puritanical morals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 October 2023

Edward B. Royzman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA royzman@psych.upenn.edu
Samuel H. Borislow
Affiliation:
University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Chicago, IL, USA sbori@chicagobooth.edu Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Abstract

Because suppression of sex has been and is at the core of puritanical morals, a proper account thereof would need to explain why suppression of sex has been largely directed towards the human female. Not only do the authors not account for this pattern, but their general model would seem to predict the reverse – that is, greater suppression/control of the male libido.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baumeister, R. F., Catanese, K. R., & Vohs, K. D. (2001). Is there a gender difference in strength of sex drive? Theoretical views, conceptual distinctions, and a review of relevant evidence. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 5(3), 242273.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baumeister, R. F., Reynolds, T., Winegard, B., & Vohs, K. D. (2017). Competing for love: Applying sexual economics theory to mating contests. Journal of Economic Psychology, 63, 230241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2017.07.009CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baumeister, R. F., & Twenge, J. M. (2002). Cultural suppression of female sexuality. Review of General Psychology, 6(2), 166203. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.6.2.166CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buss, D. M. (2012). The evolutionary psychology of crime. Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Criminology, 1(1), 9098.Google Scholar
Buss, D. M. (2021). When men behave badly: The hidden roots of sexual deception, harassment, and assault. Little Brown Spark.Google Scholar
Endendijk, J. J., van Baar, A. L., & Deković, M. (2020). He is a stud, she is a slut! A meta-analysis on the continued existence of sexual double standards. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 24(2), 163190. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868319891310CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Frankenbach, J., Weber, M., Loschelder, D. D., Kilger, H., & Friese, M. (2022). Sex drive: Theoretical conceptualization and meta-analytic review of gender differences. Psychological Bulletin, 148(9-10), 621–661. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000366CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kreager, D. A., Staff, J., Gauthier, R., Lefkowitz, E. S., & Feinberg, M. E. (2016). The double standard at sexual debut: Gender, sexual behavior and adolescent peer acceptance. Sex Roles, 75(7), 377392. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-016-0618-xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marks, M. J., Young, T. M., & Zaikman, Y. (2018). The sexual double standard in the real world. Social Psychology, 50(2), 67–79. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000362Google Scholar
Rudman, L. A. (2017). Myths of sexual economics theory: Implications for gender equality. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 41(3), 299313. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684317714707CrossRefGoogle Scholar