Do women’s views on dating reflect their broader attitudes toward gender? Hereʼs what the research says

The journal Sex Roles published a study revealing a significant link between single women’s support for traditional heteronormative dating scripts — and their attitudes toward sexism, feminism, preferences for dominant partners, and their stance on short- term relationships. Conducted across three samples of Australian women, the study highlights how societal expectations around romance are rooted in broader gender attitudes and preferences.

Traditional heteronormative dating scripts are a set of societal norms and expectations that dictate how men and women should behave in romantic and sexual contexts, reinforcing traditional gender roles. According to these scripts, men are expected to take the lead by initiating dates, paying for outings, proposing marriage, and being the dominant partner, while women are portrayed as passive recipients of men’s advances, waiting to be asked out, and adopting their husband’s surname after marriage.

Previous research has illuminated how sexism and feminist identities shape these expectations, but this latest study delves deeper, exploring how personal preferences for partners and relationship types further influence these traditional scripts. By employing correlational analyses, the researchers were able to unpack the relationships between various attitudes and preferences and how they align with the endorsement of traditional dating roles.

Driven by a desire to understand the nuanced dynamics of dating scripts beyond the views of sexism and feminism, the researchers made the basis of their work around whether women’s personal partner preferences and relationship orientations could also predict their adherence to traditional dating norms. This exploration would serve as a new lens through which to view the persistence of traditional gender roles in the context of romantic relationships.

To tackle these questions, the team utilized hierarchical regression analyses across three distinct online samples, comprising a total of 458 single Australian women. This allowed for a detailed examination of how each factor — sexist attitudes, feminist identity, preference for dominant partners, and relationship orientation — uniquely contributed to the endorsement of traditional dating scripts, providing a large understanding of the influences at play.

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Firstly, hostile sexism, characterized by overt negativity towards women not adhering to traditional roles, and benevolent sexism, which superficially places women on a pedestal while simultaneously restricting their roles, were both predictors of women’s acceptance of traditional dating norms. This indicates that underlying sexist attitudes, whether overtly negative or seemingly positive, play a critical role in sustaining traditional romantic scripts that dictate men’s initiation and dominance and women’s passivity in romantic and sexual contexts.

Secondly, women who identified strongly with feminist principles were found to be less likely to endorse traditional dating norms. This suggests that a feminist identity acts as a buffer against the acceptance of traditional dating norms that perpetuate gender stereotypes and inequalities.

The researchers also found that women’s preferences for dominant male partners and their desire for long-term over short-term relationships significantly predicted their support for traditional dating norms.

This suggests that beyond societal norms and individual attitudes towards gender, women’s personal romantic preferences also play a crucial role in their acceptance of traditional dating roles. Specifically, women who value dominance in male partners and who prioritize long-term commitment may find traditional dating norms appealing as they align with these preferences.

Despite offering valuable insights, the studyʼs focus on single Australian women limits the generalizability of the findings across different cultures and relationship statuses. Additionally, the study’s reliance on self-reported data may introduce biases that could affect the results.

“Our findings provide further evidence that the endorsement of heteronormative dating scripts is neither trivial nor free of negative implications,” the researchers concluded. “Expectations that men should take the lead in romance with women (i.e., heteronormative dating scripts) are intertwined with beliefs and attitudes that men should also take leading roles in the workplace, politics, and higher education (i.e., sexism and lack of feminist identity), even after accounting for other personal preferences. Future research should examine whether a greater diversity in relationship roles and dating scripts advances societal change towards gender equality.”

Beatrice Alba from the School of Psychology at Deakin University, Matthew D. Hammond at Victoria University of Wellington, and Emily J. Cross from the Department of Psychology at the University of Essex led this study, published as “Womenʼs Endorsement of Heteronormative Dating Scripts is Predicted by Sexism, Feminist Identity, A Preference for Dominant Men, and A Preference Against Short-Term Relationships.”