On the motivation of quid pro quo sexual harassment in men: relation to masculine gender role stress

Male office workers reported levels of distress elicited by personal violations of a range of masculine gender role expectations, as well as their proclivities to coerce sexual favors from “attractive” subordinate women via bribery or extortion. Sexual harassment proclivity levels were directly correlated with levels of distress related to four dimensions of masculine gender role violations, including acts of subordination to women, public expression of emotional behavior, inadequate heterosexual prowess, and inferiority in athletic and intellectual domains. These findings accord with an interpretation that men's quid pro quo sexual harassment may be motivated by the social punishment of their own failures to conform to masculine gender role expectations, including, but importantly, not limited to the expectation that men should punish women's violations of feminine gender role norms.     

Male-related chemical cues promote sexual receptivity in the female musk shrew

The role of conspecific chemical cues in the activation of sexual behavior was investigated in the female musk shrew (Suncus murinus). In Experiment 1, virgin female musk shrews were exposed to either clean cages or cages recently vacated by an adult male. Regardless of whether the male used for the sexual behavior test was "familiar" to the female (having spent the 24 h exposure in his vacant cage) or "unfamiliar," females exposed to male-related cues received mounts from males significantly sooner than females exposed to clean cages. In Experiment 2, females housed for 24 h in a cage soiled by an adult male allowed males to mount significantly sooner than females housed in a cage soiled by a castrated male, another female, or a clean cage. These results demonstrate that chemical cues, produced exclusively by adult males, promote sexual receptivity in female musk shrews.     

Estradiol and progesterone in the control of sexual receptivity in female rats

Estradiol (E₂) and progesterone (P) are both required for induction of sexual behavior in female rats under physiological conditions. Administration of E₂ in brief pulses can induce the behavior in ovariectomized rats. P does not normally exert inhibitory or anti-estrogenic effects on the behavior. The decline of sexual receptivity in ovariectomized E₂+P-treated rats is dependent upon the amount of E₂ and P given but independent on the continued presence of either hormone. Ovariectomized animals treated with a constant amount of E₂ show a behavioral rhythm which is disrupted by hypothalamic lesions and it is suggested that peptidergic neurons in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus rhythmically inhibit the behavior of ovariectomized E₂-treated rats.     

Prelordotic behavior in the hamster: a hormonally modulated transition from aggression to sexual receptivity

The behavioral responses of the female golden hamster to a sexually experienced male were analyzed as a function of the stage of the female's estrous cycle. Exogenous estradiol or estradiol followed by progesterone was given to ovariectomized females to determine the role of these hormones in the regulation of cyclic changes in the female's response to the male. Females were paired on a daily basis with sexually active males for 10 min, and behavioral interactions were recorded. Significantly more fighting occurred during early diestrus than later in the cycle. During the 24 hr preceding sexual receptivity, fighting was infrequent. BY 8 HR PRIOR TO THE ONSET OF SEXUAL RECEPTIVITY, 86% OF THE POPULATION EXHIBITED A BEHAVIOR RESEMBLING THE ONSET OF LORDOSIS WITHOUT IMMOBILIZATION (PRELORDOSIS). Following ovariectomy fighting was at a high level (80%--90%). Estradiol replacement, over a 28-day test period, resulted in a significant decrease in aggression and a significant increase in the display of the prelordotic response without inducing lordosis. Initially, the treatment with progesterone following 7 days of estradiol treatment caused the female to display lordosis. After 24 hr a significant increase in aggression, which continued as long as progesterone was present, was observed. After removal of progesterone a significant decrease in aggression occurred. Thus, estradiol causes the female to become tolerant of the male's approach, the female exhibiting prelordosis in response to the male's investigation. Estradiol and progesterone are necessary for normal sexual receptivity; however, after 24 hr, estrogen-progesterone-treated females become agonistic to the male.     

Beliefs about relationships in relation to television viewing, soap opera viewing, and self-monitoring

Undergraduates (n=188) completed: a survey of television and soap opera viewing habits; the Relationship Beliefs Inventory, measuring dysfunctional relationship beliefs; and Snyder's Self-Monitoring Scale. It was hypothesized was that there would be positive associations between viewing habits and endorsement of dysfunctional relationship beliefs. Results supported this hypothesis. High television viewing was associated with the belief “the sexes are different,” and high soap opera viewing was associated with the belief “mindreading is expected” between partners. High self-monitors watched television more for escape than low self-monitors. Implications for research on dysfunctional relationship beliefs are discussed.     

Beliefs about relationships in relation to television viewing, soap opera viewing, and self-monitoring

Undergraduates (n=188) completed: a survey of television and soap opera viewing habits; the Relationship Beliefs Inventory, measuring dysfunctional relationship beliefs; and Snyder's Self-Monitoring Scale. It was hypothesized was that there would be positive associations between viewing habits and endorsement of dysfunctional relationship beliefs. Results supported this hypothesis. High television viewing was associated with the belief “the sexes are different,” and high soap opera viewing was associated with the belief “mindreading is expected” between partners. High self-monitors watched television more for escape than low self-monitors. Implications for research on dysfunctional relationship beliefs are discussed.     

Vaginal stimulation in rats induces prolonged lordosis responsiveness and sexual receptivity.

Sexual receptivity to males resulted from stimulation of the vagina with a glass rod in previously unreceptive ovariectomized, estrogen-treated rats. Several minutes of rejection behavior preceded the receptivity. In a second study, manual palpation was used to determine the duration of the lordosis response facilitation. Initially, all females were unresponsive to manual flank-perineum stimulation (palpation). Vaginal stimulation plus palpation, which together elicit lordosis, facilitated subsequent lordosis responses to palpation. This effect persisted for several hours after the vaginal stimulation was applied. Vaginal stimulation alone, which was ineffective in eliciting lordosis, also facilitated lordosis in response to subsequent palpation. Repeated palpation did not facilitate lordosis. These prolonged effects were independent of hormone treatment.     

Role of monoamines in the control by hormones of sexual receptivity in the female rat.

The involvement of indole- and catecholamines in the hormonal regulation of sexual receptivity has been investigated in ovariectomized female rats. Drugs that reduce 5-hydroxytryptamine, dopamine, and adrenaline or increase noradrenaline neurotransmission tended to facilitate the occurrence of estrous behavior in estrogen-treated females, and drugs having opposite effects tended to inhibit receptivity induced by estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen decreased noradrenaline turnover in cortex and brain stem; progesterone enhanced this effect in brain stem but prevented it in cortex. Both hormones tended to block noradrenaline uptake in hypothalamus in vitro. In a schedule used to induce receptivity, estrogen accelerated serotonin turnover, an effect prevented by progesterone. Thus a number of monoamines may be involved in the control by hormones of estrous behavior. Furthermore, hormones affect both amine turnover and uptake mechanisms.     

Illusion in a three-dimensional Hering figure in relation to viewing distance

Two groups of 34 Ss each judged the amount of illusion in a three-dimensional Hering figure at three viewing distances (9, 18, and 36 ft). The horizontal bars could be located in the foremost frontal plane of the three-dimensional display or could be recessed within it. Group C-F began at the close distance and Group F-C at the furthest distance. Amount of illusion increased with viewing distance and was greater with the bars recessed within the display. At the furthest distance, but not at the other distances, amount of illusion was greater for Group F-C. The results confirm predictions from Gregory’s theory of primary constancy scaling but are also interpretable in terms of local effects at the intersections of parallel bars and background lines.     

Attention grabbing in red deer sexual calls

Identifying the respective functions of distinct call types is an important step towards understanding the diversification of mammal vocal repertoires. Red deer (Cervus elaphus) stags give two distinct types of roars during the rut, termed ‘common roars’ and ‘harsh roars’. This study tests the hypothesis that harsh roars function to raise and maintain female attention to calling males. To this end, we examined the response of female red deer to playback sequences of common roar bouts including a bout of harsh roars midway through the sequence. We found that females not only substantially increased their attention to the bout of harsh roars but also then maintained overall higher attention levels to subsequent common roar bouts. Our results suggest that the specific acoustic characteristics of male red deer harsh roar bouts may have evolved to engage and maintain the attention of female receivers during the breeding season. More generally, they indicate a possible evolutionary path for the diversification of male sexual vocal repertoires.     

Effect of novel and familiar mating partners on the duration of sexual receptivity in the female hamster

The lordosis duration of the female golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) in response to novel and familiar mating partners was examined. In Experiment 1, females mated to the point of sexual satiation with one male hamster, and following its removal, showed renewed receptivity in response to the introduction of a second male. Upon sexual satiation with the second male, females either received a novel third male or were reexposed to the original male. Total lordosis duration in the third bout in the group receiving a novel male was significantly greater than in the group reexposed to the original male. In Experiment 2, the insertion of a 1-h delay between the second and the third mating partner had no effect on the female's responsiveness, regardless of whether the third male was the original male or a novel male. In Experiment 3, removal of the ovaries followed by hormone replacement treatment (40 micrograms estradiol benzoate, 72 h prior to testing, and 500 micrograms progesterone, 4 h prior to testing) failed to alter the females' ability to discriminate between novel and familiar mating partners. These results demonstrate that females make clear discriminations among individual mating partners, that this can affect sexual receptivity and will continue to do so following a delay of at least 1 h, and that the effect is not mediated by the release of ovarian steroids.     

Loneliness and the sexual behavior of sexual minority men in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

In March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian provincial governments instituted a variety of public health measures that included social distancing and isolation, which may have had unintended consequeses. According to the Loneliness and Sexual Risk Model, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) often cope with loneliness through risky sexual behaviors. Previous studies have demonstrated that COVID-19 measures such as social distancing and isolation led to increases in loneliness; thus, these measures may also have led to elevated sexual risk-taking among some GBM. Participants were recruited from an ongoing cohort study on GBM health and well-being, and were included in the current analysis if they had completed relevant study questions (n = 1134). GBM who reported lower levels of social support pre-COVID-19, were younger, and lived alone each reported greater loneliness during the first year of COVID-19. Although feelings of loneliness did not predict sexual risk-taking within the first year of COVID-19, loneliness did predict greater sexual risk-taking 6 months later. Additionally, younger GBM and those living alone were more likely to engage in sexual risk-taking at both COVID-19 data collection points. These findings offer some support of the Loneliness and Sexual Risk Model; however, it is possible that the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a temporary suspension of this association, as many GBM took steps to protect themselves and partners in the context of COVID-19.     

The relation of lightness and stereoscopic depth in a simple viewing situation

The effect of stereoscopic depth on perceived lightness was studied using a simple, achromatic stimulus arrangement. In Experiment 1, depth/lightness interactions were sought between a single test field and a single induction field. In Experiment 2, depth/lightness interactions were looked for between a single test field and two induction fields. Stimuli were presented on a computer screen and viewed with a stereoscope. The subjects reported perceived lightness of the achromatic test field by rating its apparent blackness along a dimension of 0%–100%. In Experiment 1, they reported lightness judgments of the test field across 13 perceived depth levels and 8 contrast levels. In Experiment 2, they gave lightness judgments of the test field across 7 perceived depth levels and 16 contrast levels. We were particularly interested in observing the generality of Gilchrist’s coplanar ratio hypothesis. The results showed that when stereopsis and contrast levels are the available cues, depth and lightness percepts are independent, and it is retinal ratios, not coplanar ratios, that dictate lightness perception. We conclude that before the relative depth location of an object is determined, its lightness value is known through sensory-level processes.     

Risk factors for sexual aggression in young men: an expansion of the confluence model

There are many explanations for high rates of sexual aggression, with no one theory dominating the field. This study extends past research by evaluating an expanded version of the confluence model with a community sample. One-hour audio computer-assisted self-interviews were completed by 470 young single men. Using structural equation analyses, delinquency, hostile masculinity, impersonal sex, and misperception of women's sexual cues were positively and directly associated with the number of sexually aggressive acts committed. There were also indirect effects of childhood victimization, personality traits associated with subclinical levels of psychopathy, and alcohol consumption. These findings demonstrate the usefulness of the confluence model, as well as the importance of broadening this theory to include additional constructs.     

Dimensions of sexual behaviour in homosexual men: replicability across time and country

Data on sexual practices in the past two months were obtained from 176 Australian and 159 New Zealand homosexually active men. Factor analysis yielded three major underlying dimensions of homosexual behaviour in each sample, accounting for 53.4 and 54.0% of total variance at baseline and 55.1 and 62.1% at follow-up, respectively. These three dimensions represented unsafe sex involving predominantly anal activity, safe (oral and mutual masturbatory) sex without condoms, and safe anal sex with condoms and withdrawal. Comparison of the four matrices (two countries by two times), using Cattell's S index, indicated high stability of the factor structure across countries and times. These three dimensions of homosexual behaviour appear to represent consistent behavioural clusters across samples and times. They suggest that use of these dimensions in further research on homosexually active men is warranted and that homosexual activities cluster into a number of limited dimensions on which sexual behaviours are interrelated.