Sex differences in evaluating heterosexual and homosexual promiscuity

Our research focused on men's and women's interpretations of homosexually and heterosexually promiscuous behavior. Study 1 involved 21 men and 21 women who rated perceived differences between homosexually and heterosexually promiscuous behavior following a discussion of impersonal sex in public restrooms. Men perceived the two types of promiscuous behavior as more different than did women. In Study 2, 41 men and 23 women rated their perceptions of the difference between homosexually and heterosexually promiscuous behavior without any prior discussion. No sex differences were found, though a significant correlation between age and rating was observed. Men and women may focus on different dimensions when evaluating sexual behavior.