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Testing sex differences in the relationship context needs the inclusion of gay and lesbian couples

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2026

Lorne Campbell Open the ORCID record for Lorne Campbell [Opens in a new window]
Lorne Campbell*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada Lcampb23@uwo.ca
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*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

The target article suggests that romantic relationships matter more to men than women. I discuss the work of West, Popp, and Kenny (2008), suggesting that properly testing for hypothesized sex differences requires gay and lesbian couples to serve as reference groups. A modified actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) can then test if relationships matter more to men in relationships (i.e., straight and gay) or matter more to people in relationships with women (i.e., straight men or lesbians).

Information

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e95
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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References

Campbell, L., & Kashy, D.A. (2002). Estimating actor, partner, and interaction effects for dyadic data using PROC MIXED and HLM: A user-friendly guide. Personal Relationships,9(3), 327–342. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6811.00023 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kenny, D.A., Kashy, D.A., & Cook, W.L. (2006). Dyadic data analysis. Guilford Publications.Google Scholar
Murray, S.L., Holmes, J.G., & Griffin, D.W. (1996). The benefits of positive illusions: Idealization and the construction of satisfaction in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70(1), 79–98. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.70.1.79 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
West, T.V., Popp, D., & Kenny, D.A. (2008). A guide for the estimation of gender and sexual orientation effects in dyadic data: An actor-partner interdependence model approach. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(3), 321–336. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167207311199 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed