Education & Degrees
Ph.D Indiana University Bloomington
M.A. Indiana University Bloomington
B.A. University of Denver
Expertise Areas: Sexualities, Deviance, Gender, Social Psychology, and Qualitative Methods
Bio
Dr. Maren Scull uses qualitative methods to conduct research in the areas of deviance, sexualities, gender, and social psychology. Specifically, she looks at the ways in which deviant roles and statuses impact individuals’ self-conceptions and identities with a specific focus on those who engage in sexual deviance and/or sex work. Drawing from field work and in-depth interviews, she has examined how being an exotic dancer influences male strippers’ self-conceptions, the social stigmas they face, and the ways in which their performances reinforce stereotypical gender roles. In more recent research, she used in-depth interviews to understand the experiences of women who are in sugar relationships with a “sugar daddy” or benefactor. In particular, she examined the various types of sugar relationships, how and why women enter these arrangements, and the social stigmas they face. As an extension of this research, she is currently interviewing men who have a benefactor.
Courses Taught
SOCY 1001: Intro to Sociology
SOCY 2462: Social Psychology
SOCY 3010: Sociology of Human Sexuality
SOCY 3119: Qualitative Methods
Selected Works and Experience
"Sugaring as a Deviant Career," published in Deviant Behavior, vol. 44 issue 4, 04/2023
"From Seeking Financialships to Satisfying Curiosity," published in Sexuality & Culture, vol. 26 issue 1, 02/2022
"It’s its Own Thing: A Typology of Interpersonal Sugar Relationship Scripts," published in Sociological Perspectives, vol. 63 issue 1, 02/2020
“Reinforcing Gender Roles at the Male Strip Show: A Qualitative Analysis of Men who Dance for Women (MDW),” published in Deviant Behavior, vol. 34 issue 7, 07/2013