Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2933-3474

Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

JoNell Strough

Committee Co-Chair

Julie Hicks Patrick

Committee Member

Julie Hicks Patrick

Committee Member

Kathleen Morrison

Abstract

Gender segregation, or the tendency to form friendships with same-gender peers, is a common phenomenon across the lifespan (Mehta & Strough, 2009). Research suggests that same-gender peer groups reinforce traditional gender norms (Leaper, 2022), which may contribute to coercive sexual attitudes, which are beliefs that justify sexual coercion. This study examined how different measures of gender segregation, peer nomination, actual time spent with same-gender peers, and ideal time spent with same-gender peers relate to coercive sexual attitudes. These attitudes were assessed through rape myth acceptance, which reflects beliefs that minimize or justify sexual violence (Canan et al., 2023), and sexual deception, which involves misleading behaviors in sexual interactions (Marelich et al., 2008). Participants (N = 343; 58.4% women; 78.9% White) between the ages of 18–29 (M = 19.97) completed an online survey. A 2 × 3 mixed-model MANOVA revealed a significant interaction, indicating that gender segregation varied by measurement type and gender. Men reported greater gender segregation than women in the actual time measure. Moderation analyses using PROCESS in SPSS examined whether gender segregation, gender, and their interaction were associated with coercive sexual attitudes. Results indicated that men reported greater rape myth acceptance, while women reported greater sexual deception. Two significant interaction effects emerged, the association between peer nomination and rape myth acceptance for men, and for women the association between actual time measurement and rape myth acceptance. These findings emphasize the importance of measurement in assessing gender segregation, as different methods revealed differing gendered patterns. By introducing actual time and ideal time measures, this study moves beyond traditional peer nomination, offering a more nuanced understanding of how same-gender peer interactions shape beliefs about sexual relationships. The results highlight the role of gendered socialization in reinforcing rape myth acceptance, underscoring the need for interventions that challenge traditional gender norms.

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