Différences entre les sexes dans l'intimité (document en anglais)

Gender Differences in Intimacy

Much research has been done to show the differences in intimacy between genders. Varga (1998) studied the similarities and differences between men and women in intimacy, passion, commitment and sexual satisfaction. The participants in the study were 303 students in social science classes from two southwestern universities, and all of the participants were currently in a romantic relationship. The study found that, overall, women felt stronger intimacy and commitment than did men. For both men and women, sexual satisfaction was related to passion, but not intimacy or commitment.

Heller and Wood (1998) conducted a study on the process of intimacy and whether there is a gender difference in the perception of intimacy. Fifty couples answered the Personal Assessment of Intimate Relationships questionnaire twice: once as a self-report, and again as a report on what they believe their spouse’s response would be. The study found that couples that were less accurate at portraying their spouse’s response also reported being less intimate. The results suggest that high levels of intimacy are based on understanding and similarity of intimate experience. Women reported higher levels of intimacy and scored higher on predicting their spouse’s responses. This suggests that women may be more attuned to men’s intimacy and feelings than are men to women.

A study conducted by Strassburger (1998) takes a different approach to intimacy. While many studies on intimacy find that women are more expressive and understanding of intimacy, the studies tend to limit their definition of intimacy to verbal expression. This study allowed the participants (40 couples, age 18 and older) to define intimacy as it is relevant in their lives. Based on the participants’ definitions of intimacy, their levels of intimate expression were rated and compared between males and females. The findings suggest that marital couples create and experience intimacy in a variety of nonverbal ways, such as holding hands, taking a walk together, and spending time with family. The study also confirmed that women tend to rely more on verbal expression of intimacy than do men. Previous studies have suggested that couples tend to benefit more from intimacy when they have similar methods of expression, but this study found that this is not necessarily the case. Some couples that expressed their intimacy in different ways rated high in marital satisfaction.

In a study completed by Ryles (1995), a different approach was taking to gender and intimacy. Up until this point most research was done on the relation between the two, but little research had been conducted to discern the impact of gender roles on fear of intimacy. Traditionally it was believed that biological gender was the predominant predictor, but the study conducted on 80 persons aged 18-29 found that gender roles had a greater rate of prediction of fear of intimacy than did biological gender, marital status, and other independent variables.

Gold (1997) conducted a study on couples who enter marital counseling. It was predicted that the spouses would present similar intimacy complaints. The population was 100 couples attending counseling at two community mental health centers. They completed the Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships (PAIR) questionnaire to describe their expectations and perceptions of their current

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