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FEMINIST AND NONFEMINIST WOMEN'S SAME-SEX FRIENDSHIPS AND HETEROSEXUAL ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS
Abstract
Friendships and romantic relationships were defined and their similarities and differences explained. Issues concerning women's involvement in both types of relationships were examined, as well as ways in which the feminist movement has affected women's perceptions of these relationships. The 123 participants, classified according to feminist orientation (feminist/nonfeminist) and relationship status (involved/not involved in heterosexual romantic relationship), were compared on perceptions of the two types of relationships, and on sex role attitudes, sex role orientation, and demographic variables. In comparing same-sex friendships, as well as friendships and romantic relationships, feminists scored higher than nonfeminists on the Acquaintance Description Form scales of relationship benefits and emotional expressivity. There were no differences, however, in relationship strength scales. Also, in comparing friendships and romantic relationships, both feminists and nonfeminists rated romantic relationships higher than friendships on relationship strength, relationship benefits, and relationship differentiation scales (the "shoulds" of romantic relationships). In comparing romantic relationships, feminists scored lower on other traditional "shoulds" and were less likely to reduce time spent with women friends. Feminism was related to profeminist attitudes, to friendships and to romantic relationships, whereas sex role orientation was not. Femininity, however, was related to friendship. In comparing demographic variables, feminists tended toward less religiosity and to have mothers who worked outside the home. There were no differences in maternal education, family income, socioeconomic status, and place of upbringing. For friendship it was concluded that the feminist ideal of sisterhood appears to be important to women regardless of value orientation, whereas for romantic relationships, some "shoulds" may still be operative for women, whether feminist or not. As to demographics it was concluded that feminism may be permeating across class and geographical boundaries such that it is becoming less of a middle-class urban phenomenon. Implications for future research are discussed in terms of methodology, the current status of feminism, and participant demographics.
Subject Area
Social psychology
Recommended Citation
COURTNEY, HELEN MARIE, "FEMINIST AND NONFEMINIST WOMEN'S SAME-SEX FRIENDSHIPS AND HETEROSEXUAL ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS" (1985). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8602108.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8602108