Gender and Perceptions of Romantic Partners' Sexual Risk

Consistent with Gustafson's gender role perspective on risk perception, heterosexual women perceived their romantic partners as relatively less risky in terms of STI risk than men perceived themselves. One potential implication of this finding is that women may be less likely to protect themselves against disease in close romantic relationships because they believe that their partners are low risk, regardless of the partners' actual risk levels. Conley TD, and Peplau LA. Gender and perceptions of romantic partners' sexual risk.