Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Neurodevelopmental Correlates of Paraphilic Sexual Interests in Men

  • ORIGINAL PAPER: MINOT SPECIAL ISSUE
  • Published:
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The etiology of anomalous, or paraphilic, sexual preferences in men is unclear although a growing literature points to their prenatal neurodevelopmental ontogenesis. The present study explored whether this was also apparent in a community sample of 200 heterosexual men by examining their sexual fantasies using the Wilson Sex Fantasy Questionnaire (WSFQ) and several demographic and somatic neurodevelopmental markers, including sibling sex composition, handedness, maternal and paternal age at birth, second to fourth finger length ratios, and fluctuating asymmetry of finger lengths and wrist widths. Responses to the WSFQ were used to quantify the extent of paraphilic interest by computing a variance-quotient (or VQ) previously shown to differentiate paraphilic from conventional heterosexual males. High paraphilic scorers had a significantly greater number of older brothers, higher right-hand 2D:4D, and a trend for lower Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI) scores compared to low-paraphilic scorers. Correlational analysis revealed a significant positive association of VQ scores with number of older brothers and significant negative associations with number of younger brothers and EHI scores (elevated paraphilic interests were correlated with elevated non-right handedness). Correlations between VQ scores and other variables were not significant. It is suggested that processes such as developmental instability and maternal immunity may play a role in variant sexual preferences among otherwise healthy heterosexual men.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Available from the corresponding author upon request.

References

  • Baumgartner, J. V., Scalora, M. J., & Huss, M. T. (2002). Assessment of the Wilson Sex Fantasy Questionnaire among child molesters and nonsexual forensic offenders. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 14, 19–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchard, R. (2004). Quantitative and theoretical analyses of the relation between older brothers and homosexuality in men. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 230, 173–187.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchard, R., Barbaree, H. E., Bogaert, A. F., Dickey, R., Klassen, P., Kuban, M. E., & Zucker, K. J. (2000). Fraternal birth order and sexual orientation in pedophiles. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 29, 463–478.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchard, R., & Bogaert, A. F. (1996). Biodemographic comparisons of homosexual and heterosexual men in Kinsey interview data. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 25, 551–579.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchard, R., & Bogaert, A. F. (1998). Birth order in homosexual versus heterosexual offenders against children, pubescents, and adults. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 27, 595–603.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchard, R., & Ellis, L. (2001). Birth weight, sexual orientation and the sex of preceding siblings. Journal of Biosocial Science, 33, 451–467.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchard, R., Watson, M. S., Choy, A., Dickey, R., Klassen, P., Kuban, M. E., et al. (1999). Pedophiles: Mental retardation, maternal age, and sexual orientation. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 28, 111–127.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchard, R., Zucker, K. J., Cavacas, A., Allin, S., Bradley, S. J., & Schachter, D. C. (2002). Fraternal birth order and birth weight in probably prehomosexual feminine boys. Hormones and Behavior, 41, 321–327.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bogaert, A. F. (2001). Handedness, criminality, and sexual offending. Neuropsychologia, 39, 465–469.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bogaert, A. F. (2006). Biological versus nonbiological older brothers and men’s sexual orientation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 103, 10771–10774.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bogaert, A. F., Bezeau, S., Kuban, M., & Blanchard, R. (1997). Pedophilia, sexual orientation, and birth order. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 106, 331–335.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cantor, J. M., Blanchard, R., Christensen, B. K., Dickey, R., Klassen, P. E., Beckstead, A. L., et al. (2004). Intelligence, memory, and handedness in pedophilia. Neuropsychology, 18, 3–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cantor, J. M., Blanchard, R., Paterson, A. D., & Bogaert, A. F. (2002). How many gay men owe their sexual orientation to fraternal birth order? Archives of Sexual Behavior, 31, 63–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cantor, J. M., Blanchard, R., Robichaud, L. K., & Christensen, B. K. (2005a). Quantitative reanalysis of aggregate data on IQ in sexual offenders. Psychological Bulletin, 131, 555–568.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cantor, J. M., Klassen, P. E., Dickey, R., Christensen, B. K., Kuban, M. E., Blak, T., et al. (2005b). Handedness in pedophilia and hebephilia. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 34, 447–459.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cotes, K., Earls, C. M., & Lalumiére, M. L. (2002). Birth order, birth interval, and deviant sexual preferences among sex offenders. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 14, 67–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunne, M. P., Martin, N. G., Bailey, J. M., Heath, A. C., Bucholz, K. K., Madden, P. A. F., et al. (1997). Participation bias in a sexuality survey: Psychological and behavioral characteristics of responders and non-responders. International Journal of Epidemiology, 26, 844–854.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Geschwind, N., & Galaburda, A. M. (1985a). Cerebral lateralization, biological mechanisms, associations, and pathology: I. A hypothesis and a program for research. Archives of Neurology, 42, 428–459.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Geschwind, N., & Galaburda, A. M. (1985b). Cerebral lateralization, biological mechanisms, associations, and pathology: II. A hypothesis and program for research. Archives of Neurology, 42, 521–552.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gosselin, C. C., & Wilson, G. D. (1980). Sexual variations. London, England: Faber and Faber.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hare, E. H., & Moran, P. A. P. (1979). Paternal age and birth order in homosexual patients: A replication of Slater’s study. British Journal of Psychiatry, 134, 178–182.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Iwawaki, S., & Wilson, G. D. (1983). Sex fantasies in Japan. Personality and Individual Differences, 4, 543–545.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kinzler, W. L., Ananth, C. V., Smullian, J. C., & Vintzileos, A. M. (2002). Parental age difference and adverse perinatal outcome in the United States. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, 16, 320–327.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kowner, R. (2001). Psychological perspectives on human developmental instability and fluctuating asymmetry: Sources, applications and implications. British Journal of Psychology, 92, 447–469.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lalumiére, M. L., Blanchard, R., & Zucker, K. J. (2000). Sexual orientation and handedness in men and women: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 575–592.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lalumiére, M. L., Harris, G. T., Quinsey, V. L., & Rice, M. E. (1998). Sexual deviance and number of older brothers among sexual offenders. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 10, 5–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leung, B., Forbes, M. R., & Houle, D. (2000). Fluctuating asymmetry as a bioindicator of stress: Comparing efficacy of analysis involving multiple traits. American Naturalist, 155, 101–115.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lippa, R. A. (2003a). Handedness, sexual orientation, and gender-related personality traits in men and women. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 32, 103–114.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lippa, R. A. (2003b). Are 2D:4D finger length ratios related to sexual orientation? Yes for men, no for women. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85, 179–188.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MacCulloch, S. I., Gray, N. S., Philips, H. K., Taylor, J., & MacCulloch, M. J. (2004). Birth order in sex-offending and aggressive-offending men. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 33, 467–474.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Manning, J. T. (2002). Digit ratio: A pointer to fertility, behavior and health. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manning, J. T., Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., & Sanders, G. (2001). The 2nd to 4th digit ratio and autism. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 43, 160–164.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Manning, J. T., & Robinson, S. J. (2003). 2nd to 4th digit ratio and a universal mean for prenatal testosterone in homosexual men. Medical Hypotheses, 61, 303–306.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Manning, J. T., Trivers, R. L., Thornhill, R., & Singh, D. (2000). The 2nd:4th digit ratio and asymmetry of hand performance in Jamaican children. Laterality, 5, 121–132.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McFadden, D., Loehlin, J. C., Breedlove, S. M., Lippa, R. A., Manning, J. T., & Rahman, Q. (2005). A reanalysis of five studies on sexual orientation and the relative length of index and ring fingers. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 34, 341–356.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McFadden, D., & Schubel, E. (2002). Relative lengths of fingers and toes in human males and females. Hormones and Behavior, 42, 492–500.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mustanski, B. S., Bailey, J. M., & Kaspar, S. (2002). Dermatoglyphics, handedness, sex and sexual orientation. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 31, 113–122.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oldfield, R. C. (1971). The assessment and analysis of handedness: The Edinburgh inventory. Neuropsychologia, 9, 97–113.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Plaud, J. J., & Bigwood, S. J. (1997). A multivariate analysis of sexual fantasy themes of college men. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 23, 221–230.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L. (2003). The etiology of anomalous sexual preferences in men. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 989, 105–117.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman, Q. (2005a). The neurodevelopment of human sexual orientation. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 29, 1057–1066.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman, Q. (2005b). Fluctuating asymmetry, 2nd to 4th finger length ratios and human sexual orientation. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 30, 382–391.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman, Q., & Wilson, G. D. (2003). Sexual orientation and the 2nd to 4th finger length ratio: evidence for organising effects of sex hormones or developmental instability? Psychoneuroendocrinology, 28, 288–303.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richters, J., Grulich, A. E., de Visser, R. O., Smith, A. M. A., & Rissel, C. E. (2003). Autoerotic, esoteric and other sexual practices engaged in by a representative sample of adults. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 27, 180–190.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, S. J., & Manning, J. T. (2000). The ratio of 2nd to 4th digit length and male homosexuality. Evolution and Human Behavior, 21, 333–345.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sierra, J. C., Ortega, V., & Zubeidat, I. (2006). Confirmatory factor analysis of a Spanish version of the Sex Fantasy Questionnaire: Assessing gender differences. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 32, 137–159.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Trivers, R. L., Manning, J. T., Thornhill, R., & Singh, D. (1999). The Jamaican asymmetry project: A long-term study of fluctuating asymmetry in rural Jamaican children. Human Biology, 71, 417–430.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Waisman, R., Fenwick, P. B. C., Wilson, G. D., Hewett, T. D., & Lumsden, J. (2003). EEG responses to visual erotic stimuli in men with normal and paraphilic interests. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 32, 135–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, G. D. (1988). Measurement of sexual fantasy. Sexual and Marital Therapy, 3, 45–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, G. D., & Lang, R. (1981). Sex differences in sexual fantasy patterns. Personality and Individual Differences, 2, 343–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zucker, K. J., Beaulieu, N., Bradley, S. J., Grimshaw, G. W., & Wilcox, A. (2001). Handedness in boys with gender identity disorder. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 42, 767–776.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Queen Mary College, University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK

    Qazi Rahman

  2. Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College-University of London, London, UK

    Qazi Rahman

  3. School of Psychology, University of East London, The Green, London, E15 4LZ, UK

    Deano J. Symeonides

Authors
  1. Qazi Rahman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Deano J. Symeonides
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qazi Rahman.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rahman, Q., Symeonides, D.J. Neurodevelopmental Correlates of Paraphilic Sexual Interests in Men. Arch Sex Behav 37, 166–172 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-007-9255-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-007-9255-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation