| dc.description |
Several models of contraceptive behavior stress the concern that young, single women have regarding the negative judgments others might make of them for using contraceptives. We present a person perception experiment designed to assess the impressions people actually form of women (and men) based on their sexual and contraceptive behavior within certain situational contexts. College students were presented with information about the first coital experience of another "student." The hypothetical student was either male or female, age 16 or 21, had sex in either a causal or a close relationship, and used either no contraception, the condom, or the pill. The participants were asked to give their first impressions of the student on several dimensions. The contraceptive behavior of the "student" significantly affected the impressions formed of him or her. Contrary to the assumptions of several contraceptive theories and possibly the beliefs of young, single women, the impressions (of intelligence, warmth, etc.) were generally more favorable, not less, for someone who uses contraception and uses the more effective method (pill). Contraceptive users were, however, perceived as more liberal in sexuality and values. Contrary to expectations, evaluations formed of the "student" based on his or her contraceptive behavior were basically the same, regardless of the "student's" sex, age, and type of relationship in which the sexual activity occurred. |
