1 Psychology 320: Psychology of Gender and Sex Differences Lecture 41

2 2. Are there sex differences in attitudes about sex? Sexuality 3. Are there sex differences in the desire for sex? 1. What methods do researchers use to study human sexuality? (continued)

3 By the end of today’s class, you should be able to: 2. identify sex similarities and differences in attitudes about sex and the desire for sex. 1. identify methodological concerns associated with research on human sexuality.

4 3. discuss the relationship between gender equality and sex differences in attitudes about sex. 5. contrast explicit and implicit attitudes regarding the double standard. 4. identify trends across time in sexual attitudes among males and females.

5 The bulk of contemporary research on human sexuality employs self-report data. Self-report data on sexuality are susceptible to several problems: What methods do researchers use to study human sexuality? (continued)

6 1. Inaccurate recall of events. 2. Inaccurate estimation of frequencies. 3. Biased samples. 4. Socially desirable responding: 17% of female and 21% of male students report responding dishonestly to questions regarding sexuality (Siegal et al., 1998).

7 Are there sex differences in attitudes about sex? Recent meta-analyses have identified sex similarities and differences with respect to attitudes about sex.

8 1. Peterson and Hyde (2010)  Examined data from 834 papers; approximately 1.5 million participants worldwide.  Found few sex differences; sex differences that emerged suggest that males have more permissive sexual attitudes than females:

9 Attituded Extramarital sex.01 Intercourse—engaged.02 Homosexuality: Lesbians-.02 Masturbation.02 Acceptability of double standard.10 Premarital sex.17 Intercourse—committed-.18 Homosexuality: Gay men-.18 Anxiety, fear, guilt-.19 Gay rights-.20 Sexual permissiveness.21 Intercourse—casual.45 Sex Comparisons for Attitudes About Sex (Peterson & Hyde, 2010)

10  Also found that: (a) sex differences are larger for older samples than younger samples. (b) measures of gender equality (e.g., GEM) are negatively correlated with sex differences in attitudes about sex.

11 2. Wells and Twenge (2005)  Examined data from 530 papers; 269,649 participants.  Found that: (a) attitudes regarding premarital sex have become more permissive across time, with the most dramatic change occurring among females. (b) guilt scores associated with sexuality have decreased across time for females, but not males.

12 Mean Percent Approval of Premarital Sex Across Time (Wells and Twenge, 2005)

13 Petersen and Hyde (2010) found a small sex difference in the endorsement of the double standard. However, measures taken under “cognitive load” (i.e., implicit measures) suggest that both sexes endorse the double standard: Explicit measures suggest that both sexes do not endorse the double standard.

14 Number of Sexual Partners Evaluation Evaluation of Female and Male Targets as a Function of Number of Sexual Partners, Under “Cogntive Load” (Marks, 2008)

15 Are there sex differences in the desire for sex? Baumeister, Catanese, and Vohs (2001) argue that males have a stronger sex drive than females. Studies that support Baumeister et al.’s argument include (in chronological order):

16  Wives desire intercourse less often than husbands (Kinsey et al., 1948, 1953; Ard, 1977).  Females report less enjoyment of erotica and pornography than males (Reed & Reed; 1972; Sigusch et al., 1970).  Wives prefer to read a book than engage in sexual activity with their husbands (Mancini & Orthner, 1978).

17  Males (4.5 per day) report more frequent sexual urges than females (2 per day; Jones & Barlow, 1990).  Females seek out fewer extramarital partners than males (Lawson, 1988).  Females rate their sexual urges as less strong than males (Mercer & Kohn, 1979).  Females are more likely than males to cite lack of interest and enjoyment as a reason for not having sex (Leigh, 1989)

18  More males (83%) than females (63%) describe sex as being important to them (Pfizer, 2002)  Frequency of sexual activity is highest in gay male couples, intermediate in heterosexual couples, and lowest in lesbian couples (Herek, 2006)  Females initiate sex less often and refuse sex more often than males (Baumeister, 2000)  More males (50%) than females (19%) report thinking about sex every day (Laumann et al., 1994).

19 2. Are there sex differences in attitudes about sex? Sexuality 3. Are there sex differences in the desire for sex? 1. What methods do researchers use to study human sexuality? (continued)