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Focusing the Conceptualization of Erotophilia and Erotophobia on Global Attitudes Toward Sex: Development and Validation of the Sex Positivity–Negativity Scale

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Abstract

Previous measures of erotophobia/erotophilia like the Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS) assessed gut-level positive–negative affective and evaluative reactions to a wide range of sexual stimuli, resulting in purposefully diverse item content. Although an effective strategy, the item content of existing erotophilia/erotophobia scales is now potentially too generalized, encompassing what have since developed as an array of more focused constructs in the current literature like attitudes toward (1) casual sex, (2) pornography, (3) non-heterosexual orientations (e.g., homophobia), and (4) masturbation. The current study therefore sought to evaluate existing scales and to develop a conceptually focused measure of sex-positivity and sex-negativity using a distinct strategy designed to obviate the need for overly generalized (and potentially imbalanced or confounding) item content. Using responses from 2205 online respondents (82% Caucasian, 66% heterosexual, and 50% female) completing an item pool of 158 items, the current study employed a combination of classic test-theory analyses (e.g., exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses) and item response theory analyses to develop a psychometrically optimized scale—the Sex Positivity–Negativity (SPN) scale. The SPN scale demonstrated: (1) a stable 2-subscale structure distinguishing sex-negativity from sex-positivity, (2) consistently high levels of internal consistency across 31 demographic subsamples, (3) more discriminant than convergent validity with existing erotophilia scales given its novel focus, (4) discriminant validity with more specific sexual attitudes, (5) greater levels of power and precision for detecting differences between individuals, (6) stronger links to individual, sexual, and relationship functioning than existing scales, and (7) incremental validity over the SOS for predicting change in relationship dynamics over 6 months. The findings therefore suggested that the SPN scale is a conceptually focused measure of sex-positivity and sex-negativity offering researchers a comparatively short and effective tool. Implications are discussed.

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Availability of data and material

The authors have made the syntax and study materials freely available on the open science framework at: https://osf.io/fc72h/. A de-identified version of the data set is also stored under that project in osf.io and will be made available upon request.

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Funding

Not applicable—this project was not supported by external funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA

    Forrest Hangen

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Rochester, 462 Meliora Hall, RC Box 270266, Rochester, NY, 14627-0266, USA

    Forrest Hangen & Ronald D. Rogge

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  1. Forrest Hangen
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  2. Ronald D. Rogge
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Correspondence to Ronald D. Rogge.

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The study was evaluated and approved as a minimal risk study by the University of Rochester Research Subjects Review Board. Participants were presented with an information sheet on the first page of the survey to obtain informed consent, and the study was conducted conforming to all ethical guidelines.

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Hangen, F., Rogge, R.D. Focusing the Conceptualization of Erotophilia and Erotophobia on Global Attitudes Toward Sex: Development and Validation of the Sex Positivity–Negativity Scale. Arch Sex Behav 51, 521–545 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02085-7

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