Adolescent dating intimacy: Norms and peer expectations

Both dating behavior and peer expectations, in 317 adolescents, were examined during the first date, after several dates, when going steady, and when some commitment to marriage was undertaken. The results showed an initial tendency for the behavior of males to be more intimate than that of females. Female behavior approached that of males as the commitment in the affectional relationship increased. Generally, both males and females conformed to their peer expectations for less intimate behaviors but not for the deeper forms of sexual embrace, where they imagined their peers to be more experienced.Received his M.A. (Honours I) and Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Sydney. Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society. Main area of interest is psychology of adolescence.