Negative Affect Reciprocity as an Explanation of the Correlation between Perpetrating and Being a Victim of Sexual Coercion

The purpose of this research was to test the negative affect reciprocity explanation of the positive correlation between being a victim of and perpetrating sexual coercion. In the first study, 92 participants who were in a romantic relationship filled out measures of sexual coercion and measures of relationship aggression. Supporting the negative affect reciprocity explanation, all of the measures (coercion and aggression) were positively intercorrelated. In the second study, 51 couples filled out the above measures. Supporting the negative affect reciprocity explanation, four of the six sexual coercion measures intercorrelate with themselves and all of the aggression measures intercorrelated. However, only some of the coercion and aggression measures intercorrelated suggesting that negative affect reciprocity in the two areas is to some extent independent. Both studies found that sexual coercion and aggression were to some extent negatively correlated with relationship satisfaction but not probability of marriage.