Gender Differences between Intimacy Dimensions of Married College Students

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Women Research Centre, AI-Zahra University

2 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, AI-Zahra University

Abstract

Intimacy has been conceptualized as a very important pattern of behaviour with a strong aspect of emotion and social relationships of acceptance, happiness, and love. The aim of this study is to compare gender differences within intimacy dimensions between married college students. One hundred married college students were randomly selected from dormitory of Tehran universities (N == 100). Three questionnaires were used: Marital Intimacy Needs Questionnaire; Marital Intimacy Questionnaire (MIQ); and General Demographic Questionnaire.
Results show that there are significant gender differences in the total score of the intimacy, and other dimensions such as emotional, psychological, sexual, and physical intimacy. But there are not significant gender differences in social, aesthetic, spiritual-thought dimensions of intimacy. Couples also show significant difference in time intimacy. Results have been discussed according to the different patterns of socialization and a multidimensional model of intimacy.

Keywords