Gender Double Standard and Gender Pattern in Endorsement of Marital Infidelity in China: Evidence From the Post-90s Generation

Shuangshuang Yang , Shanghai University
Yingchun Ji, Shanghai University

Given concerns about gender equality in contemporary China and a lack of studies focusing on gender double standard, this article examines whether gender double standard of marital infidelity is widely held among Chinese post-90s. It also seeks to ascertain the gender pattern in the attitude toward marital infidelity and explain it. Due to a lack of relevant data, I conducted a survey about people’s attitude toward male and female’s cheating behaviors among Chinese post-90s group by sending out online questionnaires. Though respondents do not widely hold a gender double standard, they can actually perceive a traditional gender double standard toward marital infidelity in society. Besides, men are more likely to hold a gender double standard. Findings also suggest that men and women’s attitude toward marital infidelity are influenced by different factors. For instance, women are immune from family background’s influences while men’s attitude cannot be independent from family background.

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 Presented in Session 9. Marriage, Family, Households, & Unions; Gender, Race, & Ethnicity