Methodologies used to Study Human Sexual Behavior Surveys Clinical Studies Quasi-Experiments

Preview:

Citation preview

Methodologies used to Study Human Sexual Behavior

SurveysClinical StudiesQuasi-Experiments

SEX SURVEYS - METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS

1) PURPOSEFUL DISTORTION

2) ABILITY TO REMEMBER

3) ABILITY TO ESTIMATE

4) COST

•SEXUAL

BEHAVIOR IN

THE HUMAN

MALE (1948)

•SEXUAL

BEHAVIOR IN

THE HUMAN

FEMALE (1953)

ALFRED KINSEY Pioneer of the Sex Survey

Kinsey’s Method 100% Sampling

Technique Face-to-face

interviewing Rapid fire

questioning Anonymity

Results from a Survey of Illinois 4-Year University Students

0.021

0.072

0.184

0.306

0.123

0.023

0.004

0.268

0.005

0.044

0.2

0.304

0.151

0.032

0.002

0.262

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4

Percent of Unmarried College Students Under 25

No Sex

23 or older

21-22

19-20

17-18

15-16

13-14

less than 13

Age atFirst Sexual Inter-course Male

Female

Results from a Survey of Illinois 4-Year University Students

0

0.002

0

0.002

0.009

0.015

0.972

0.085

0.038

0.082

0.114

0.211

0.205

0.265

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Percent of Unmarried College Students Under 25

None

1

2-3

4-5

6-7

8-9

10 or more

Number of Male Sexual Partners

Male

Female

Results from a Survey of Illinois 4-Year University Students

0.129

0.038

0.07

0.106

0.18

0.192

0.285

0

0

0

0.003

0.002

0.003

0.992

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Percent of Unmarried College Students Under 25

None

1

2-3

4-5

6-7

8-9

10 or more

Number of Female Sexual Partners

Male

Female

8.3

7.3

19.1

7.6

1.4

26.8

29.5

Some other method

Withdrawal

Diaphram or sponge

Condoms

Birth control pills

Nothing or not sure

No sex

The last time you had sex, what form of birth control

did you use?

Female College

Students in Illinois

The last time you had sex, what form of birth control

did you use?

8.4

4.5

20.4

8.6

2.5

32.7

22.8

Some other method

Withdrawal

Diaphram or sponge

Condoms

Birth control pills

Nothing or not sure

No sex

Male CollegeStudents in Illinois

Clinical Studies

William

Masters

& Virginia

Johnson

Human Sexual Response (1966) 694 people studied males - ages 21-89 females - ages 18-78 Mostly medical students Medical View of the

sample - the processes observed assumed to be normative

Technology for Sex Research

Penile Strain Gauge

Technology for Sex Research

Vaginal Photoplethysmograph

Technology for Sex Research

Vaginal & Rectal Myographs

Advantages & Disadvantages of Masters & Johnson’s methods

Sophisticated technology Sampling problems “Unnatural” laboratory setting Direct observation: No self-report

problems

Quasi-ExperimentsSome Important Characteristics of

Real Experiments: Manipulation, Control, Random Assignment, Systematic Measurement

Why “Quasi”? ---You can’t manipulate gender.

Design of Heiman’s Quasi-Experimental Study

    erotic &

erotic romantic romantic control

male initiated male perspective        

  female perspective        

female initiated male perspective        

female perspective        

Manipulations of story content:

Crossed with this matrix of manipulations was the gender of the participant

Two Types of MeasuresUsed in Heiman’s Study

Physiological Self-Report

Results from Heiman’s Study

Explicit sex was most arousing for both men and women

Female-initiated/female-centered scenarios were most arousing for both men and women

When physiological measures indicated that women were aroused 1/2 failed to report it

Recommended