Predicting high risk sexual behaviour in heterosexual and homosexual men: the roles of impulsivity and sensation seeking

Impulsivity and sexual sensation seeking were examined as personality correlates of high risk sexual behaviour — unprotected sex with multiple partners — in samples of heterosexual (n=112) and homosexual (n=104) men. Among heterosexuals, both personality variables were associated with frequency of unprotected sex but only sexual sensation seeking was associated with number of sex partners. Sexual sensation seeking also mediated the association between use of drugs other than alcohol and number of sex partners. Among homosexuals, no personality or substance use variables predicted high risk sexual behaviour. Implications of the findings for the study of determinants of sexual risk-taking are discussed.     

Brains,brawn, and beauty: The complementary roles of intelligence and physical aggression in attracting sexual partners

The current study compared physical aggression to factors affecting socioeconomic status in the accumulation of sex partners over the life course. Our data sample was drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (men, n = 5,636; women, n = 6,787). Participants were examined in terms of the number of lifetime sex partners they reported, nonrelationship partners, cheating or infidelity, and concurrent relationships. Intelligence and physical violence emerged as being especially likely to boost sex partner accumulation for the number of lifetime sex partners and nonrelationship partners in men. Intelligence also interacted positively with men's violence in cross‐sectional models but not longitudinally. Women's violence was not significant regardless of the outcome or model specification. Intelligence showed less consistent effects for women's mating indicators compared to men. Analyses controlled for well‐known correlates of aggression and sexual behavior and factors associated with beauty, including interviewer reports of survey participants' physical attractiveness and maturity, as well as self‐reported attractiveness, maturity, and health. Findings are consistent with evolutionary ideas regarding costly signaling as an effective mating strategy among men.     

High risk behaviors in a sample of Mexican-American college students

This study explored different types of high risk behaviors of Mexican-American college students attending a small university in south Texas. High risk behaviors for contracting HIV/AIDS examined in this study included unprotected sex, drug use, and alcohol abuse. In 1995 in the United States, HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death in people between the ages of 25 and 44. Because use of alcohol and certain recreational drugs lowers inhibitions, their use could increase the possibility of having unprotected and unplanned sex with multiple partners. Thus, it was expected that Mexican-American college students who use drugs and alcohol would be more likely to engage in unprotected sex. Data were from 105 men and 211 women between the ages of 18 and 30 years. Drug use and alcohol abuse were significantly associated with high risk sexual behavior. Individuals in monogamous relationships were more likely to not use condoms than those involved in casual relationships. Self-reported religiosity was not correlated with high risk behaviors, although there were implications that stronger religious affiliation did alter sexual beliefs and practices. Lastly, parental communication was not significantly associated with high risk behaviors, but family unity did seem related to some risky sexual practices.     

Implicit motives and sexual conservatism as predictors of sexual behaviors

This study was designed to provide an assessment of the relationship between the two most important implicit motives and the most frequently studied sexual behaviors. A community sample of 102 men and 92 women completed measures of implicit power and affiliation-intimacy motives, sexual conservatism, social desirability, and sexual behavior. For men, high power motivation was positively associated with the number of sexual partners and the frequency of sex. There was an interaction between sexual conservatism and power motivation in women. For women low in sexual conservatism, high power motivation was positively associated with the number of sexual partners and with earlier initiation to intercourse and oral sex. There were few associations between affiliation-intimacy motivation and sexual behaviors; however, women high in this motive reported later initiation to oral sex.     

Multiple partners in the age of AIDS: Self-consciousness theory and HIV risk behavior

In two studies, we found consistent correlations among gender, self-consciousness, and high-risk sexual behavior in college students. Men higher in public self-con-sciousness reported more sexual partners, but less pleasurable sexual experiences. Among women higher in private self-consciousness, using sex to assuage feelings of loneliness was associated with a greater number of sexual partners. However, higher levels of private self-consciousness coupled with a view of sex as a way to satisfy emotional needs predicted fewer sexual partners. A closer examination of how self-consciousness, attitudes toward sexual activity, and gender influence decisions to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors is proposed.     

Multiple partners in the age of AIDS: Self-consciousness theory and HIV risk behavior

In two studies, we found consistent correlations among gender, self-consciousness, and high-risk sexual behavior in college students. Men higher in public self-con-sciousness reported more sexual partners, but less pleasurable sexual experiences. Among women higher in private self-consciousness, using sex to assuage feelings of loneliness was associated with a greater number of sexual partners. However, higher levels of private self-consciousness coupled with a view of sex as a way to satisfy emotional needs predicted fewer sexual partners. A closer examination of how self-consciousness, attitudes toward sexual activity, and gender influence decisions to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors is proposed.     

Understanding the unprotected sexual behaviors of gay, lesbian, and bisexual youths: an empirical test of the cognitive-environmental model.

The cognitive-environmental model (CEM; M. Fishbein et al., 1991) was used to understand the unprotected sexual behaviors of 156 gay, lesbian, and bisexual youths. Unprotected anal sex among the males was associated directly with poor protection skills (e.g., incorrect use of barrier methods, such as condoms), poor intentions to use barrier methods, and poor norms by sexual partners concerning barrier methods. Furthermore, the association between low self-efficacy and increasing unprotected anal sex was attributed to poor intentions. Direct associations of unprotected oral sex with poor intentions and poor partner norms also emerged, as did an indirect relation between unprotected oral sex and low self-efficacy via poor intentions. These last 3 findings were replicated when examining unprotected oral or vaginal-digital sex among the females. Relations among the CEM factors supported some CEM-theoretical propositions.     

Implicit Motives and Sexual Conservatism as Predictors of Sexual Behaviors

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to provide an assessment of the relationship between the two most important implicit motives and the most frequently studied sexual behaviors. A community sample of 102 men and 92 women completed measures of implicit power and affiliation-intimacy motives, sexual conservatism, social desirability, and sexual behavior. For men, high power motivation was positively associated with the number of sexual partners and the frequency of sex. There was an interaction between sexual conservatism and power motivation in women. For women low in sexual conservatism, high power motivation was positively associated with the number of sexual partners and with earlier initiation to intercourse and oral sex. There were few associations between affiliation-intimacy motivation and sexual behaviors; however, women high in this motive reported later initiation to oral sex.     

The interpersonal meaning of sexual promiscuity

In order to investigate the interpersonal meaning of sexual promiscuity, the relations between various sexual activities and the Interpersonal Circumplex (IPC) were examined. Two hundred and ten participants (105 women and 105 men; mean age = 24.88 years) indicated the number of people they had engaged in various sexual activates with (e.g., oral manipulation of genitals, sexual intercourse, etc.). These participants’ interpersonal styles were also assessed using the primary dimensions of the IPC: dominance and warmth. As predicted, a positive linear relation was found, for men and women, between interpersonal dominance and the number of partners a person had for each type of sexual activity. Additionally, for both men and women, a curvilinear relation was found between interpersonal warmth and the number of partners a person had for each type of sexual activity. Specifically, participants who were either extremely warm or extremely cold tended to have more sexual partners than individuals who were moderately warm. These findings extend past research linking the Five Factor Model traits of extraversion and agreeableness to sexual promiscuity and also help illustrate the dual interpersonal meaning of sexual experience.     

Feelings Matter: Depression Severity and Emotion Regulation in HIV/STI Risk-Related Sexual Behaviors

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention models may not address psychological complexities among adolescents with mental illnesses. This study examined contextual factors related to HIV/STI risk among heterosexually active Black adolescents with mental illnesses to inform the development of targeted HIV/STI prevention strategies. Black adolescent males and females (aged 14–17) were recruited from outpatient mental health programs in Philadelphia, PA to complete a computer-assisted personalized interview on sociodemographics, sexual behaviors, and emotion regulation (N?=?53). Two sample t-tests, Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests and regression modeling were used to examine differences in the study measures by gender and relationship status. Reports of sexual partner concurrency were high—both while already in a sexual relationship (67.3%) and multiple sexual partners in the same day (42.3%). Boys reported significantly more risk behaviors than girls. Sadness dysregulation predicted currently being in a relationship, older age at first oral sex, fewer vaginal sexual partners and fewer unprotected oral sexual encounters. Coping difficulties predicted a greater number of vaginal and oral sexual partners, and a lower age at first vaginal sex. Increasing depression severity was related to older age at first vaginal sex, fewer vaginal sexual partners and fewer unprotected oral sexual encounters in the past 3 months. This formative work suggests that coping mechanisms should be addressed in HIV/STI prevention research through the inclusion of activities targeted toward emotion regulation and decreasing sexual risk behaviors. Psycho-education and skills building may mitigate the psychopathology that contributes to HIV/STI risk in the target demographic.     

The ��Problem of Number�� Revisited: The Relative Contributions of Psychosocial, Experiential, and Evolutionary Factors to the Desired Number of Sexual Partners

Three studies (N?=?329) using U.S. community samples examined the relative contributions of self-reported ??sex,?? gender identity, and actual number of sexual partners to the question how many sexual partners individuals desire over the lifetime. In Study 1, the more ??feminine?? a participant identified, not self-reported sex, was significantly related to the desired number of sexual partners. Study 2a showed that a person??s actual number of sexual partners also correlated with the desired number. In Study 3, Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) (Bem Psychological Review, 88: 354?C364 1981) femininity scores and actual number of sexual partners significantly predicted desired number of sexual partners separately for men and women. These results suggest that non-evolutionary variables drive the ??problem of number?? in mate preference.     

HIV risk after release from prison: a pilot case-control study in Canada,France, Ivory Coast and South Africa

This study aimed to assess HIV knowledge, risk perception and risk behaviour of ex-offenders at risk of new infection and to compare them with the general population. A case-control interview study was conducted with conveniently sampled ex-offenders and persons with no history of incarceration in four countries (Canada, France, Ivory Coast, South Africa). The total sample included 232 participants with a mean age of 33.9 years (SD=9.8 years). Results indicate various high HIV risk behaviours including multiple sexual partners, irregular sexual partner, and commercial sexual partner. Other risk factors were unprotected sex at last intercourse with a regular partner, with an irregular partner and with a commercial sexual partner. A history of incarceration did not differentiate risk for infection. Younger age, coming from the Ivory Coast, and higher HIV risk perception were found to be associated with HIV risk behaviour. Prevention efforts should focus on education, promotion of safe sex and substance abuse treatment.     

Relationship Characteristics and Risk of HIV Infection: Rusbult's Investment Model and Sexual Risk Behavior of Gay Men in Steady Relationships1

This study examined the effects of relationship characteristics, as measured by Rusbult's (1980) investment model, on safer‐sex behavior between steady gay male partners. Analyses showed that low satisfaction with the relationship was associated with more risky unprotected anal intercourse (UAI). High commitment to the relationship was associated with more practice of negotiated safety (i.e., having safe UAI after both partners have tested negative for HIV and have reached sexual safety agreements). High relationship investment was associated with more risky UAI (borderline significant). We conclude that using relationship satisfaction, commitment, and investment as co‐determinants of sexual risk behavior could prove useful in the development of new HIV‐prevention strategies for gay men in relationships.     

Misperceived risk among female adolescents: social and psychological factors associated with sexual risk accuracy.

This study of 411 urban female adolescents had 3 objectives: (a) assess the relationship between perceived risk and sexual risk behavior (condom use, number of partners, partner risk, presence of STDs, and aggregate sexual risk), (b) assess the accuracy of risk perceptions, and (c) identify variables related to inaccurate sexual risk perceptions. Participants were classified as accurate or inaccurate risk perceivers on the basis of actual sexual behavior and perceived risk. Accurate versus inaccurate risk perceivers were compared on psychological maintenance variables (self-esteem, distress, and coping), relationship context variables (partnership duration and pressure to have unprotected sex), and risk knowledge at different levels of sexual risk. Approximately half of the participants underestimated the risk of their sexual behavior. Accurate and inaccurate risk perceivers differed on risk knowledge, partnership duration, and pressure to have unprotected sex.     

Evolutionary perspective on indirect victimization in adolescence: the role of attractiveness, dating and sexual behavior

We studied indirect victimization from an evolutionary perspective by examining links between this type of victimization and several indicators of attractiveness (past sexual behavior, dating frequency and physical appearance). Two thousand three hundred and nineteen (56% female) students (ages 13-18) from a region of southern Ontario, Canada, completed self-report measures of indirect victimization, physical appearance, dating frequency, recent sexual behavior (number of partners in previous month) and past sexual behavior (number of lifetime partners minus number of partners in previous month) as well as indexes of depression, aggression and attachment security, which were used to control for psychosocial maladjustment. Consistent with an evolutionary framework, physical appearance interacted significantly with gender, wherein attractive females were at greater risk for indirect victimization, whereas for males physical attractiveness was a protective factor, reducing risk of victimization. Physical appearance also interacted with grade, being inversely related to indirect victimization for younger adolescents and having a nonsignificant association with victimization for older youth. Finally, recent sexual behavior was associated with increased risk of indirect victimization for older adolescents only, which we discussed with regard to peer perceptions of promiscuity and short-term mating strategies. These findings have important implications for the development of interventions designed to reduce peer victimization, in that victims of indirect aggression may represent a rather broad, heterogeneous group, including attractive individuals with no obvious signs of maladjustment.     

How are sociosexuality, sex drive, and lifetime number of sexual partners related?

In two studies (ns = 277 and 221), the authors examined the relationships among sex drive, sociosexuality, lifetime number of sex partners, and gender identity. They found that sex drive is highly and positively correlated with sociosexual orientation, and that both sex drive and sociosexual orientation are positively correlated with lifetime number of sex partners. However, partial correlations revealed that sociosexual orientation is an independent predictor of lifetime number of sex partners, whereas sex drive is not. The authors were also able to replicate and extend Mikach and Bailey's (1999) finding that gender identity is related to women's lifetime number of sex partners. More masculine women had more sex partners and had a less restricted sociosexual orientation than did less masculine women; less masculine men had a higher sex drive than did more masculine men. The findings are discussed with regard to theory and research on sex drive and sociosexuality.     

Relationship Factors’ Impact on Condom Use Among College Students

Research indicates that a number of college students are at risk for HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, and unplanned pregnancy as a result of their sexual behaviors. Specific behaviors placing college students at risk include having sex with multiple partners, poor communication about safer sex practices with their sexual partners and not using condoms consistently and correctly when engaging in sexual activity. The purpose of this paper is to identify potential differences in safer sex practices and factors that influence condom use among college students. A four-page, 18-item survey was developed to determine participants’ condom use and the impact of relationship status and other demographic factors on condom use. Analyses revealed that the number of lifetime vaginal sexual partners and participants’ sex influenced condom use. There were no significant differences in relationship status, duration, trust, honesty and condom use. These findings should be considered with designing interventions to increase condom use among college students.     

The Effect of Target's Physical Attractiveness and Dominance on STD-Risk Perceptions

Utilizing a 2 × 2 design, the present study examined the effect of a female's physical attractiveness and dominance on men's sexual motivation and sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk perceptions in a sample of 72 heterosexual male college students. As predicted. participants were more motivated to have sex with more physically attractive women. Nonetheless, they also believed that the more physically attractive women had been more promiscuous in the past, and believed that unprotected sex with a physically attractive woman implied a relatively somewhat higher risk of contracting an STD. In contrast, the more socially dominant women were perceived as having practiced safer sex more regularly and as having had less risky sexual partners in the past. Practical implications of this study are discussed.     

Cognitive,Behavioral, and Personality Correlates of HIV-Positive Persons' Unsafe Sexual Behavior1

This study examined sexually risky behaviors of HIV-positive men and women within the framework of social cognitive theory. Condom use was found to be associated with high self-efficacy, positive influeces from social models, and specific condom use expectancies. As risky sexual behavior may be the manifestation of a more general pattern of risk taking that emerges from personality dispositions such as impulsiveness or psychoticism, this possibility was explored with discriminant analyses. Self-reported impulsivity, substance abuse, promiscuity, and deception served as markers of the presumed disposition. While these variables did not reliably distinguish between consistent and inconsistent condom users, they did enhance significantly the classification of individuals who, during the past 6 months, had been sexually abstinent, monogamous, or nonmonogamous. Those who reported more sex partners scored higher on impulsivity, disclosed more involvement with illegal drugs, and showed greater willingness to mislead potential partners about their sexual history than monogamous or sexually abstinent persons with HIV.