My primary research interest involves gender inequality, specifically the phenomenon known as the sexual double standard (SDS). The SDS is the phenomenon by which men and women are judged differently for engaging in similar sexual behaviors. In the past few years, my colleagues and I have continued our investigation into this topic in order to gain richer understanding of this phenomenon.
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Select Recent Publications:
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Zaikman, Y., Vogel, E. A., & Tomlinson, S. K. (2025). The sexual double standard and condom use: Applying the theory of planned behavior. Sexuality & Culture. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-025-10481-7
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Marks, M. J., Young, T. M, & Zaikman, Y. (2019). The sexual double standard in the real world. Social Psychology, 50(2), 67-79. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000362
Zaikman, Y., & Marks, M. J. (2017). Promoting theory-based perspectives in sexual double standard research. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 76(7-8), 407–420. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-016-0677-z
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Finally, in the recent years I have developed interest in people’s perceptions of public breastfeeding and pregnancy. Specifically, it examines attitudes toward pregnancy and publicly breastfeeding women.
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Select Recent Publications:
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Houlihan, A.E., Zaikman, Y. & Alford, A.M. (2023). The influence of bystander presence on evaluations of public breastfeeding among adults in the United States. BMC Public Health 23, 1753. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16635-2
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Gibson, A.H., Zaikman, Y. (2023). The influence of disordered eating and social media’s portrayals of pregnancy on young women’s attitudes toward pregnancy. BMC Women's Health 23, 38. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-023-02177-7
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Zaikman, Y., Houlihan, A.E. (2022). It’s just a breast: an examination of the effects of sexualization, sexism, and breastfeeding familiarity on evaluations of public breastfeeding. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 22, 122. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04436-1
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Another research area of mine focuses on how gender identity and sexual orientation influence the manner in which a person is evaluated. Specifically, it focuses on understanding the prejudice that members of the LGBTQ+ community face and devising ways to reduce it.
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Select Recent Publications:
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Zaikman, Y., Stimatze, T. & Zeiber, J.A. (2020). Women’s and Men’s Evaluations of Lesbians and Gay Men and their Levels of Outness. Sex Roles 83, 211–225. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-019-01107-y
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Zaikman Y., Marks M. J., Young, T. M. & Zeiber J. A., (2016) Gender Role Violations and the Sexual Double Standard, Journal of Homosexuality, 63:12, 1608-1629, DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2016.1158007
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