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double standard

Definition of Double Standard

(noun) Formal and informal mores, norms, and rules that apply differently to different people and are often gendered.

Example of Double Standard

  • A man having sex with multiple partners is seen as a “stud”, whereas a woman who has sex with multiple partners seen as a “slut”. This is referred to as the sexual double standard.

Double Standard Pronunciation

Pronunciation Usage Guide

Syllabification: dou·ble stan·dard

Audio Pronunciation

– American English
– British English

Phonetic Spelling

  • American English – /dUHb-uhl stAn-duhrd/
  • British English – /dUHbl stAn-duhd/

International Phonetic Alphabet

  • American English – /ˈdʌbəl ˈstændərd/
  • British English – /ˈdʌbl ˈstændəd/

Usage Note

  • Plural: double standards

Additional Information

Related Terms

Works Consulted

Griffiths, Heather, Nathan Keirns, Eric Strayer, Susan Cody-Rydzewski, Gail Scaramuzzo, Tommy Sadler, Sally Vyain, Jeff Bry, Faye Jones. 2016. Introduction to Sociology 2e. Houston, TX: OpenStax.

Jary, David, and Julia Jary. 2000. Collins Dictionary of Sociology. 3rd ed. Glasgow, Scotland: HarperCollins.

Kornblum, William. 2008. Sociology in a Changing World. 8th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Macmillan. (N.d.) Macmillan Dictionary. (https://www.macmillandictionary.com/).

Merriam-Webster. (N.d.) Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/).

Oxford University Press. (N.d.) Oxford Dictionaries. (https://www.oxforddictionaries.com/).

Wikipedia contributors. (N.d.) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. (https://en.wikipedia.org/).

Wikipedia contributors. (N.d.) Wiktionary, The Free Dictionary. Wikimedia Foundation. (http://en.wiktionary.org).

Cite the Definition of Double Standard

ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2013. “double standard.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved April 24, 2024 (https://sociologydictionary.org/double-standard/).

APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)

double standard. (2013). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/double-standard/

Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2013. “double standard.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed April 24, 2024. https://sociologydictionary.org/double-standard/.

MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)

“double standard.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2013. Web. 24 Apr. 2024. <https://sociologydictionary.org/double-standard/>.