Gender Effects in Couples' Sexual Decision Making and Contraceptive Use

Previous research has demonstrated that men tend to be more influential than women in mixed‐sex dyads. The current study was an examination of sex differences in influence among dating couples making two different kinds of sexual decisions. In a laboratory decision‐making task, male and female partners wrote their opinions about premarital sex and contraception independently, and then worked together as a couple to write a joint opinion. The results replicated previous findings in that the male partners' responses were more similar to the couples' responses than were the females'. An examination of gender influence in the couples' contraceptive behavior , however, indicated that the female partners were more influential than the males in this arena. Thus the data suggest that while men in general may be more influential than women in couples' decision making, there are specific decision domains in which women have considerable influence. Factors that influence gender effects in sexual decision making are discussed.