Predictors of Adult Sexual Orientation and Sexual Identity Shelia Ramona Robinett [email protected]
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Marshall University Marshall University Marshall Digital Scholar Theses, Dissertations and Capstones 1-1-2012 Covert Behaviors Occurring in Childhood and Adolescence: Predictors of Adult Sexual Orientation and Sexual Identity Shelia Ramona Robinett [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://mds.marshall.edu/etd Part of the Developmental Psychology Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, and the Other Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Robinett, Shelia Ramona, "Covert Behaviors Occurring in Childhood and Adolescence: Predictors of Adult Sexual Orientation and Sexual Identity" (2012). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. Paper 338. This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by Marshall Digital Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses, Dissertations and Capstones by an authorized administrator of Marshall Digital Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. COVERT BEHAVIORS OCCURRING IN CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE: PREDICTORS OF ADULT SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND SEXUAL IDENTITY A Dissertation submitted to the Graduate College of Marshall University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Psychology by Shelia Ramona Robinett Approved by Keith W. Beard, PsyD, Committee Chairperson Stephen L. O’Keefe, PhD Ray V. Haning, MD, MA Marshall University August 2012 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables……………………………………………………………………………………. iv Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………….. vi Chapter One: Introduction……………………..………………………………………………… 1 Chapter Two: Review of the Literature……………………………………………………….…. 3 Defining Key Terms and Concepts………………………………………………………. 3 Sexual Orientation……………………………………………………………………….. 3 Origins of Sexuality……………………………………………………………………… 5 Biological Influences…………………………………………………….………. 5 Psychological Influences…………………………………………………..…….. 9 Childhood Sexual Experimentation…………………………………….. 11 Victims of Sexual Abuse and Coercion……………………………….... 12 Adolescent Sexual Experimentation………………………………….… 13 Genital Fascination…………………………………………………..…. 15 Romantic Love, Infatuation, Crush, and Affectional Bonding………………..... 16 Hypotheses…………………………………………………………………..….. 17 Chapter Three: Methods………………………………………………………………………... 19 Participants…………………………………………………………………………...… 19 Materials and Procedure………………………………………………………………... 20 Voyeurism……………………………………………………………………..... 20 Fantasy Partner……………………………………………………………….…. 21 Masturbation…………………………………………………………………..... 21 Sexual Experimentation Before Age 18………………………………………... 21 iii Crush………………………………………………………………………….… 21 Genital Fascination…………………………………………………………..…. 23 Sexual Identity…………………………………………………………….……. 23 Chapter Four: Results…………………………………………………………………………... 24 Female Same-sex Relations……………………………………………………….……. 24 Male Same-sex Relations…………………………………………………………….…. 31 Support for Hypotheses…………………………………………………………….…… 37 Chapter Five: Discussion…………………………………………………………………….…. 38 Romantic Emotional Attachment……………………………………………..………… 38 Sexual Orientation……………………………………………………………… 38 Sexual Identity…………………………………………………………….……. 41 Sexual Orientation vs. Sexual Identity………………………………………….. 43 Limitations of the Study……………………………………………………………..….. 45 Implications for Future Research…………………………………………………….…. 46 Implications for Clinical Practice………………………………………………………. 47 References………………………………………………………………………………………. 49 Appendixes……………………………………………………………………………………... 85 Appendix A: Letter from Institutional Research Board………………………..…….… 86 Curriculum Vitae……………………………………………………………………………….. 87 iv LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Demographic Data………………………………………………………………….…. 63 Table 2: Total female and male participants who endorsed predictors……………………….... 64 Table 3: Evaluations of 14 possible statistical predictors for participating in same-sex behaviors during adulthood in 1281 females………………………………………………………........… 65 Table 4: Multiple logistic regression equations for predicting sexual behaviors in adult females……………………………………………………………………………………….…. 66 Table 5: Responses of 1086 females and 692 males for self-identified sexual identity in adults…………………………………………………………………………………….…….... 68 Table 6: Evaluations of statistical predictors for self-identified sexual identity in 1086 adult females……………………………………………………………………………….…………. 69 Table 7: Multiple logistic regression equations for predicting sexual identity in 1086 adult females…………………………………………………………………………………….……. 70 Table 8: Evaluations of 14 possible statistical predictors for participating in same-sex behaviors during adulthood in 804 males………………….……………………………...………………. 71 Table 9: Multiple logistic regression equations for predicting sexual behaviors in adult males……………………………………………………………………………………………. 72 Table 10: Evaluations of statistical predictors for self-identified sexual identity in 692 adult males……………………………………………………………………...……………….……. 74 Table 11: Multiple logistic regression equations for predicting sexual identity in 692 adult males……………………………………………………………………………………………. 75 Table 12: Total number of females and males who endorsed crush predictors………………… 76 Table 13: Total number of combined crush predictors for females and males…………………. 77 v Table 14: Responses of 1281 females and 804 males for frequency of crush during childhood and adolescence……………………………………………………………..………………………. 78 Table 15: Evaluations of 14 possible statistical predictors for participating in same-sex behaviors during adulthood in 1281 females……………………………..………..………………………. 79 Table 16: Multiple logistic regression equations for predicting sexual behaviors in adult females……………………………………..……………………………………...……………. 80 Table 17: Evaluations of 14 possible statistical predictors for participating in same-sex behaviors during adulthood in 804 males………………………...………………..………………………. 82 Table 18: Multiple logistic regression equations for predicting sexual behaviors in adult males……………………………………..………………………………………………..……. 83 vi ABSTRACT This study examined the influence pre-adulthood overt and covert same-sex sexual behaviors had on adult sexual orientation and the influence post-adulthood overt and covert same-sex sexual behaviors had on sexual identity in both women and men. Retrospective data were gathered via a computer-assisted self interview on 1281 non-transsexual female (age range 18-78) and 804 non-transsexual male (age range 18-84) participants for the outcome of sexual orientation and 1086 non-transsexual female and 692 non-transsexual male participants for outcomes of sexual identity. Same-sex romantic emotional attachment experience before adulthood predicted adult same-sex sexual orientation in both women and men. Such experiences occurred pre-puberty in women and post-puberty in men. Several same-sex sexual behaviors demonstrated to be influenced by romantic emotional attachment experienced before adulthood predicted lesbian, bisexual, gay or questioning sexual identities in adulthood. Results suggest that psychological mechanisms of conditioning influence the construction and maintenance of same-sex sexual orientation and sexual identity. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed. 1 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Over the past few decades, the topic of human sexuality has been a frequent focus of media attention in Western cultures (Laumann, Gagnon, Michael, & Michaels, 2000; Rathus, Nevid, & Fichner-Rathus, 2010). Topics range from political debates concerning same-sex marriage to infidelities in committed relationships; however, the more sensational, non- normative or deviant sexual behaviors tend to present in the headlines. The media spotlight has been on actress Cynthia Nixon, of the hit HBO series Sex and the City, for several years (King, Melfi, Chupack, Bicks, & Parker, 1998). In June 2003, Nixon ended a 14-year romantic relationship with photographer Danny Mozes and, in 2004, became romantically involved with Christine Marinoni. Following a four-year engagement, Maroni and Nixon married in May 2012 (Grindley, 2012). Speculation concerning Nixon’s sexual orientation began after she entered into a romantic relationship with Marinoni, and in a 2012 interview with the Advocate magazine Nixon proclaimed, “…the technically precise term for my orientation is bisexual. I believe bisexuality is not a choice, it is a fact. What I have ‘chosen’ is to be in a gay relationship” (Grindley, 2012, para. 7). Despite Nixon’s proclamation, speculation persisted: Did her sexual orientation change? Was she always a lesbian? Was she going through a phase? There is no simple answer to these questions. In fact, human sexuality is a complex phenomenon that involves various biological, psychological, and sociocultural processes in men and women. The study of human sexuality is a relatively young field compared to other areas of psychological study (Laumann et al., 2000; Rathus et al., 2010). The lack of empirical research and political influence on science has historically resulted in disagreements between researchers in terms of theory and conceptualization of the nature and cause of various aspects of human 2 sexuality, especially sexual orientation (Kauth, 2006). The nature vs. nurture debate pertaining to the etiology of human sexual orientation continues to be an area of heated debate in religious and political communities despite the current body of scientific literature that indicates both biological and psychological mechanisms have influence (Rathus et al., 2010). Understanding