Reading the Signals: Accuracy and Bias in Men’s and Women’s Perceptions of Sexual Consent in Romantic Relationships

The theory of sexual miscommunication posits that, within the framework of traditional heterosexual scripts, communication of sexual willingness or refusal is often ambiguous, making it vulnerable to misinterpretation. However, many studies have yielded mixed results regarding how accurately people perceive a partner’s sexual consent. Evidence from close relationships suggests that people can be both accurate and biased when interpreting a partner’s thoughts and feelings. In two Chinese dyadic samples—including a cross-sectional study and a 21-day daily diary study—we examined how accurate and biased men and women are when perceiving their partner’s internal consent feelings and active external consent expressions, guided by the truth and bias model. We also tested effects of accuracy and inaccuracy on sexual satisfaction for both partners. Results showed that both men and women were generally able to accurately perceive their partner’s consent. Moreover, findings show some evidence of bias, which may have implications for relationship dynamics, with gender differences. The findings challenge the idea that sexual consent communication tends to be unclear and suggest that partners may communicate more effectively than traditionally assumed. This research contributes to a more nuanced and gender-equitable understanding of sexual consent communication between men and women, providing insights into how perceptions shape relationship dynamics.