Measuring Sexual Double Standards in Sitcoms: Development and Application of a Content Analysis Codebook

Abstract The sexual double standard (SDS) consists of stereotypical gendered expectations and evaluations that condemn female sexuality and approve of male sexuality. Entertainment media contribute to the maintenance of gendered norms by providing guidelines as to which sexual expressions are acceptable for whom. This study set out to construct a new codebook for quantitative content analysis to assess the presence of SDS in media content, with an application to popular sitcoms of the last decades serving as an initial validation. We pose that studies wishing to ascertain whether the SDS is represented in media content should (1) analyse all sexual behaviours and sexual cognitions pertaining to SDS, (2) determine gender differences within the display of these behaviours and cognitions, and (3) study gender differences within positive and negative consequences of sexual behaviour and cognitions. We provide a novel conceptualization by incorporating all these elements in one codebook. A quantitative content analysis was conducted to systematically assess the presence of SDS in popular US sitcoms of the last decades by implementing the above-mentioned requirements. Findings suggest that male characters are more sexually preoccupied, while female characters display relatively more sexual acts. No significant gender differences were found within the performance of other stereotypical sexual behaviours and cognitions. Likewise, male and female characters received a largely equal portrayal of positive and negative consequences of sexual stereotypical behaviours and cognitions. Methodological implications and future research directions are discussed.