Download 1 - People Server at UNCW

Inequity in Empathic Support
Between Cross-Sex Friends
Perception or Reality?
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to explore
the empathic inequity reported by women
in their close, cross-sex relationships.
How do the perceptions of cross-sex friendships
and relational exclusivity influence the under
benefitted/over benefitted dichotomy expressed
between the sexes when communicating
support?
What is gender based “empathic
inequity?”
Among married couples, it is known as
“the support gap.”
A situation in which husbands report receiving
more support and helpful support from their
wives than wives report receiving from their
husbands.
Perception or reality?
Research indicates that there are no gender
differences in seeking or providing support.
That’s the reality.
However, some researchers and lay persons cling
to the heuristic that men and women do support
communication differently because men and
women are different. That’s the perception.
Where might the perception come
from?
• Expecting (and being willing to provide) different
communication in specific relational contexts
• Pursuing different individual and relationship
goals related to those specific relational contexts
Let’s define some terms
• Specific relationship contexts means how you
think about friendship (strictly platonic,
potential for romance, “friends with benefits”)
• Different communication refers the
communication behaviors used to maintain a
friendship (emotional support and positivity and
instrumental support)
Pursuing Relationship Goals
• For women—enjoying “nice guy”
companionship
• For men—exploring the potential for
sexual/romantic involvement
Balance Individual Goals
Emotional bond challenge—high social
investment with no/low sexual involvement
Sexual challenge—high/moderate sexual
involvement with no/low emotional
investment
Research Design
Social exchange approach—cost/benefit analysis
of relationship vs. individual goals
What motivates men not to offer empathic support
in a strictly platonic cross-sex friendship?
What motivates women to continue providing
empathic support in a strictly platonic cross-sex
friendship?
The Results
Male perceptions
of friendship
Strictly platonic
Sex/
No
Sex/
reward sex/
cost
reward
X
No
sex/
Cost
X
Desires romance
X
X
Friends with
benefits
X
X
X
The Results
Female
perceptions of
friendship
No
sex/
Cost
Strictly platonic
Sex/
No
Sex/
reward sex/
cost
reward
X
Desires romance
X
X
Friends with
benefits
X
X