| Description |
The flexibility of same sex attractions, engagement in same sex sexual behaviors, and propensity to fall in love with same sex partners were examined by assessing selfreported change over time in men and women of heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual orientations. We sought to examine whether the linkages in change in the three areas were stronger for some gender or sexual orientation groups than others and how changes in behavior, attractions, and propensity to fall in love mirror or diverge from one another over time. Three-hundred and ninety-four women and men, ages 17 to 40 made retrospective ratings concerning current dimensions of sexuality, with an online self report questionnaire. Aggregate change scores were resultant from ratings of sexual attraction, propensity to fall in love, and frequency of sexual activity based on the past 12 months and from ages 12-19. As hypothesized, change in same sex attractions were more correlated with change in same sex sexual behavior in bisexual and lesbian women than in straight women. Also, change in same sex attraction was more correlated with change in same sex sexual behavior in heterosexual men than in heterosexual women. Contrary to our expectations, the relationship between change in same sex attractions and change in same sex propensity to fall in love were never significantly different between subgroups. Future research should longitudinally compare males and females of all orientations' sexual attractions, behavior, and propensity to fall in love, including data about other and same sex partners as they occur in real time. |
