The Double Standard of Age

Abstract

In an attempt to examine empirically the double standard of age, 63 males and 57 females were shown slide photographs of younger (in their 20s) and older (in their 40s) male and female stimulus persons (SPs) and asked to judge them on a number of characteristics and to rank them in terms of the S's preferences for interacting with the SPs in various types of relationships. Although the results do not directly support a double standard of age across all dimensions investigated, they indicate a double standard in terms of dating preferences, the ramifications of which may be extensive.