The Sexual Double Standard: A Behavioral Economics Perspective on Its Origins and Persistence

This episode of Psych Hacks delves into the pervasive sexual double standard, defining it as the societal acceptance of multiple sexual partners for men versus the condemnation of the same for women. Dr. Taraban asserts that this double standard is a real phenomenon, deeply rooted in cultural dynamics, but not in the superficial way often assumed. Instead, he frames its existence through the lens of behavioral economics, proposing that value is inherently tied to the effort and skill required to achieve an outcome.

The core argument posits that outcomes achieved without effort are valued less than those requiring skill. Applying this to sexual dynamics, a man typically needs to exert significant effort and skill in seduction and mate selection to acquire a sexual partner, making his success highly valued. Conversely, a woman is often approached without initiating action, meaning that merely having multiple partners doesn't necessarily signify skill. Instead, for women, value is created through discernment, filtering options, and resisting the squandering of her inherently limited time and energy on low-value propositions, which itself requires skill and social savviness.

This creates a reversed dynamic: for men, action is generally required to achieve a desired sexual outcome, while for women, strategic inaction and careful filtering are necessary to prevent the squandering of resources and to attract high-value partners. The podcast emphasizes that this isn't an inherent biological difference between men and women, but rather a reflection of the "observed distribution of perceived value and optionality" within social interactions. An analogy is drawn to business, where those without money must hustle to acquire it, while those with money must skillfully resist squandering it.

Ultimately, the episode concludes that the sexual double standard is not a superficial attitude easily changed by education or awareness. It is deeply embedded in the fundamental rules governing social interactions, specifically "who approaches whom, who propositions whom, and who is valued for what." The podcast suggests these rules are unlikely to change until the ease with which an average man can find a willing sexual partner becomes comparable to that of an average woman, reinforcing the idea that the double standard persists due to the value added through effort and skill, likening it to a good key opening any lock versus a bad lock that any key can open.

the sexual double standard is that it is acceptable or considered a positive for a man to have multiple sexual partners but that is unacceptable or considered a negative for a woman to have multiple sexual partners

the outcome that can be accomplished through no action will always be valued less than the outcome that can only be achieved through the application of skill and effort

A man can do nothing and remain a virgin so it can't really be celebrated.

for a man to be sexually selected by a woman this requires more effort and skill than we are generally than we generally would like to admit

surrendering to every man who would have her doesn't require as much skill and effort as say appropriately filtering her options and discerning the high value men

Value is created in a woman's reticence

this isn't actually inherent to men and women per se rather it's a reflection of the observed distribution of perceived value and optionality

it's deeply embedded in the rules that govern who approaches whom who propositions whom and who is valued for what

A key that can open any lock is a good key but a lock that any key can open is a bad lock