Toward an Understanding of “The Sex Game”: The Effects of Gender and Self‐Monitoring on Perceptions of Sexuality and Likability in Initial Interactions

Results of several studies indicate that men attribute more sexual meaning to heterosexual interactions than do women. Based on Abbey's (1982) findings, we hypothesized that males, in comparison to females, would attribute more sexuality to opposite‐sex partners. Based on findings from several self‐monitoring dating studies, we predicted that high self‐monitors would rate their partners and themselves higher on sexuality and likability traits than would low self‐monitors. A laboratory study was conducted in which mixed‐sex pairs of participants discussed their likes and dislikes about college life. Participants then rated themselves and their opposite‐sex partners on a set of sexuality and likability trait adjectives and indicated their interest in getting to know their partner better. Results supported the gender hypotheses, whereas they only partially supported the self‐monitoring predictions. The self‐monitoring effects on self‐ratings of sexuality and partner ratings of likability are used to explain why high self‐monitors are more successful than low self‐monitors in establishing heterosexual relationships.