Classifying Dating Couples: Gender as Reflected in Traits,Roles, and Resulting Behavior

A cluster analysis was conducted in an attempt to uncover a taxonomy of specific gender-related, trait-role constellations within a sample of 117 pairs of men and women involved in serious dating relationships. This taxonomy was then used in predicting the extent to which men and women reportedly gave (or failed to give) affection and respect to each other during the 2 weeks prior to the study. The cluster analysis revealed three distinct groups, which were labeled Respect-Giving Reversed (Group 1), Affectionate (Group 2), and Traditional (Group 3) Results of multivariate analyses of variance revealed that, overall, significant behavioral differences existed among the three groups. Group 1 was characterized by low reported giving of affection and respect among women. Group 2 was characterized by high reported giving of affection and respect among men and women, and Group 3 was characterized by low reported giving of affection and respect among men. Implications for the use of empirically derived taxonomies in the study of close relationships are discussed.