Women collectively condemn other women who appear to be sexually permissive even when they are not direct sexual rivals

Ayers, Jessica D., and Aaron T. Goetz. 2021. “Coordinated Condemnation in Women's Intrasexual Competition.” PsyArXiv. March 11. doi:10.31234/osf.io/g6x5r

Abstract: Here, we identify a novel reason why women are often criticized and condemned for (allegedly) sexually permissive behavior, such as their choice of dress. Combining principles from coordinated condemnation and sexual economics theory, we developed a model of competition that accounts for women’s competition in the absence of mating-relevant advantages. We hypothesized and found that women collectively condemn other women who appear to be sexually permissive. Study 1 (N = 712) demonstrated that women perceive a rival more negatively when she is showing cleavage, and these negative perceptions are ultimately driven by the inference that “provocatively” dressed women are more likely to have one-night stands. Study 2 (N = 341) demonstrated that women criticize and condemn provocatively dressed women, even when they are not direct sexual rival (e.g., her boyfriend’s sister). Our findings suggest that more research is needed to fully understand women’s intrasexual competition in the absence of mating-relevant cues.