Claire Kimberly

Self-perceived origins of attitudes toward homosexuality.

Undergraduate students (N = 417) at a large southern university responded to open-ended questions designed to assess self-perceived origins of attitudes toward homosexuality and circumstances that may prompt a shift in attitudes. Inductively coded responses pointed to a positive correlation between attitudes toward homosexuality and experience interacting with gay men or lesbians; this is discussed in the context of Allports (1954) contact hypothesis and Hereks (1984, 1986) theory of functional attitudes. Implications are discussed for education and intervention efforts aimed at facilitating understanding and tolerance of gay men and lesbians.

Abstinence, Sex, and Virginity: Do They Mean What We Think They Mean?

Ambiguous definitions concerning which behaviors constitute sex, abstinence, and virginity may lead to arbitrary interpretations of meaning or miscommunication, which could be particularly problematic in health care, educational, and research contexts. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare definitions of sex, abstinence, and virginity between samples of 454 university students and 126 AASECT-certified sexuality professionals. Compared to the AASECT professionals, students were less likely to classify 10 of 11 behaviors as sex, they were more likely to indicate that oral-genital contact maintains ones virginity, and they were more likely to indicate that oral-genital contact and hand-genital contact is consistent with abstinent behavior. Relative to previous studies, these findings also suggest that conceptualizations of abstinence and the classification of oral-genital contact may be changing among young adults. Overall, the primary implication of these findings is that sexual health professionals should be mindful of the interpretative latitude afforded to individuals when using terms intended to refer to a range of sexual behaviors rather than explicitly identifying the targeted behaviors.

From Fantasy to Reality: A Grounded Theory of Experiences in the Swinging Lifestyle.

Swinger couples—committed couples who consensually engage in extra-relational sex for recreational purposes—are difficult for researchers to access due to the social stigma associated with swinging. This study builds upon the limited research on swinger couples by examining personal experiences with swinging. Specifically, 32 semi-structured interviews with swingers (16 husband–wife dyads, interviewed separately) were analyzed using grounded theory methods to understand the process of transitioning into and maintaining marital satisfaction in the swinging lifestyle. The model formed included (a) antecedent steps taken to enter into the lifestyle, (b) types of desires fulfilled, (c) stated benefits of being in the lifestyle, and (d) rules that guided couples throughout the process. Although variations were found across couples, the effective use of verbal and non-verbal communication to increase sexual and marital satisfaction within these non-monogamous couples was paramount to their experiences.

Abortion attitudes in context: a multidimensional vignette approach.

The effects of relationship status, rationale for considering abortion (life circumstance versus health issue), and the male partners wishes on abortion attitudes were examined using a multiple-segment factorial vignette with a probability sample of 532 Kentucky households. Respondents expressed strong opinions in the absence of contextual details, yet many shifted the direction of their strongly-held positions once contextual information was revealed that challenged their initial assumptions. Results confirm and extend prior research by indicating that attitudes are strongly held but are simultaneously highly responsive to context. The validity of surveys and polls that attempt to measure global attitudes toward abortion, such as pro-choice versus pro-life, in the absence of contextual details is therefore questioned. The full context of ones life and situation is weighed in the abortion decision-making process, and our findings indicate that attitudes toward abortion are largely responsive and reflective of that context as well.

Alpha Asymmetry in Female Military Spouses Following Deployment

In the present investigation the authors incorporate a social/affective neuroscience approach to assess the relationship between deployment and electrical brain activity of women married to service members. In particular, the researchers examined influences associated with alpha asymmetry over the frontal cortex. Results suggest that length of time since returning from deployment and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder are associated with greater activity in the right hemisphere of the brain which is associated with a tendency to withdraw from an uncomfortable stimulus.

Decade Review of Research on Lesbian Romantic Relationship Satisfaction

ABSTRACT There has been a steady increase of research dedicated to understanding the quality and satisfaction of same-sex romantic relationships, but studies explicitly focused on lesbian relationships have been particularly limited due to the tendencies of researchers to combine this female subgroup with other sexual orientations (e.g., men who are gay and individuals who are bisexual). Thus researchers and practitioners trying to understand and promote healthy romantic relationships in the lesbian community struggle in aggregating what is known about the resilience and risk factors that are associated with relationship satisfaction. This review organized existing empirical knowledge by synthesizing articles that have been written on the satisfaction of self-identified, lesbian romantic relationships over the past decade. Results are presented with an emphasis on what has been found about relationship quality and satisfaction among couples who are lesbian and what should be considered in future scientific, educational, or clinical work focused on couples who are lesbian.

Mississippi college students’ attitudes, willingness to intervene and legal knowledge toward sexual assault

ABSTRACT Sexual assault on college campuses has been a longstanding problem in the USA. Unfortunately, relatively little has been done to look at the characteristics of these attacks and how they might relate to knowledge of sexual assault policies, participation in sex education courses, beliefs toward sexual violence, and willingness to intervene if an attempted assault is observed. In response to this need, data were collected from college students from four universities in the state of Mississippi. A request to participate in an online, anonymous questionnaire was sent through email and listservs, and a total of 4,994 undergraduate students completed the survey. A significant relationship was found between men’s sexual attitudes and understanding of legal terms and their willingness to intervene if a sexual assault occurred; less legal knowledge and higher rape myth attitudes reduced their probability of being willing to intervene. Conversely, students who had received education at college on how to prevent a sexual assault from occurring were significantly to report being willing to intervene.

Changes in the swinging lifestyle: a US national and historical comparison

Abstract Although engaging in extramarital relationships with permission from spouses has been practised for generations, relatively little is known about those who participate and how they have changed over the years. This study expands on existing research by comparing the demographics and sexual practices of those in swinging and non-swinging communities from the 1980s to those in 2016. Data from the 1980s were collected through membership forms submitted to a swinger organisation and a national dataset conducted in the USA (i.e. The General Social Survey), while the recent dataset was collected through an online survey. Compared to the non-swinging population, swingers were more likely to be Caucasian, younger, educated, wealthy and more satisfied with their marriage and sex life. Demographic comparisons of swingers from 1982 to 2016 showed an increase in diversity, growing connection to the US Democratic Party and increased use of protection to avoid sexually transmitted diseases. Marital satisfaction remained the same regardless of year measured, but the amount of sex engaged in over a year decreased over time.

Variations in couples’ egalitarian attitudes: implications for therapists

Abstract Working with couples can be a challenge for a therapist due to the importance of deciphering their expectations of roles within the relationship. Although current literature has focused on many aspects of egalitarian attitudes, there has not been a holistic approach to reviewing predictive factors about these views in the south-east region of the United States where traditional values are prevalent. This study begins to fill that void by reviewing how 266 participants vary in egalitarian views living in the south-east. Results showed a positive relationship between egalitarian attitudes and religious affiliation, religiosity, and education. Suggestions for therapists and how this information can positively influence the therapeutic relationship when working with couples have been provided.