Premium
Friends with benefits? Gendered performances in women's casual sexual relationships
Author(s) -
FAHS BREANNE,
MUNGER ADRIELLE
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
personal relationships
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.81
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1475-6811
pISSN - 1350-4126
DOI - 10.1111/pere.12073
Subject(s) - casual , psychology , scripting language , idealization , narrative , social psychology , objectification , identity (music) , power (physics) , social constructionism , developmental psychology , gender studies , sociology , social science , linguistics , philosophy , materials science , physics , epistemology , quantum mechanics , computer science , acoustics , composite material , operating system
Although some research has examined “friends with benefits” relationships ( FWBRs ), women's subjective accounts of FWBRs remains notably understudied. Utilizing attachment theory, scripting theory, and social constructionist theories of gender, this study drew upon qualitative interviews with a community sample of 20 women (mean age = 34, SD = 13.35) from diverse ages, races, and sexual identity backgrounds to illuminate five themes in women's FWBR narratives: (a) regulation and suppression of emotions, (b) performance and idealization of detachment and emotionlessness, (c) lack of clear communication combined with “other‐defined” experiences, (d) replication of racist and sexist scripts, and (e) transitional qualities of the relationship. Implications for the power differentials present in FWBRs , and tensions between subverting and further entrenching relationship scripts, are explored.
Accelerating Research
Robert Robinson Avenue,
Oxford Science Park, Oxford
OX4 4GP, United Kingdom
Address
John Eccles HouseRobert Robinson Avenue,
Oxford Science Park, Oxford
OX4 4GP, United Kingdom