Gendered sexual scripts: Consent, refusal, and permissiveness in Bulgaria
Gendered sexual scripts: Consent, refusal, and permissiveness in Bulgaria

Summary/Abstract: The study presents the first large-scale empirical investigation in Bulgaria devoted to the social psychology of sexual consent. It integrates the theoretical perspectives of sexual script theory, miscommunication theory, and social role theory to analyze the structure and dynamics of consent, refusal, and permissiveness in intimate interactions. The results from a quantitative survey of 574 respondents demonstrate that token resistance is not a specifically female behavior, but a universal communicative strategy employed equally by both genders. Two distinct communicative models were identified – a consent-based (verbal and explicit) and a permissive (non-verbal and implicit) pattern. The divergence between these models, particularly in moderate and high intimacy practices, emerges as a key risk factor for misunderstanding and perceived pressure. The study confirms that gender stereotypes and cultural context, such as urbanization, exert a significant influence on consent communication. The developed integrative model offers new conceptual tools for analyzing intimate communication and has direct applied implications for couples therapy, sex education, and the prevention of sexual violence.

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