Norms for Teasing among College Students

Abstract

When engaging in playful teasing, understanding the norms for acceptable teasing is critical. The present study surveyed beliefs concerning prescriptive and descriptive norms for teasing among 101 male and 88 female college students. Participants viewed a number of topics as unacceptable for teasing and indicated that a high percentage of common topics for teasing were more closely associated with the teasing of one sex. Both sexes expected men to experience being less upset by teasing, and to be more likely to reciprocate the teasing.

Keywords:

• Gender differences
• Norms
• Sex differences
• Social acceptability
• Teasing

Notes

Note: Scores ranged from 1 (never acceptable) to 5 (acceptable all the time). Subscripts of overall means that differ from each other indicate significant differences between the means. The remaining columns refer to the difference in views of male and female participants.

Note: Scores range from 1–5, with 5 reflecting that only guys get teased and 1 indicating that only girls get teased. A mean of approximately 3.0 indicates that the topic is not linked to either sex.

Note: Scores ranged from 1 (never) to 5 (all the time).