Abstract
A large body of literature demonstrates that East Asian women report lower sexual desire than Caucasian women. Although most studies have explained these differences by referring to general culture-linked differences in sexual conservatism, none have examined the potential role of specific constructs such as sex guilt. The goals of the current study were to examine the supposition that sexual conservatism mediates the relationship between culture and sexual desire, and to explore the potential mediating role of sex guilt in the link between culture and sexual desire. Caucasian (n = 105) and East Asian (n = 137) female university students completed questionnaires online. Caucasian women reported significantly higher levels of sexual desire, significantly lower levels of sexual conservatism, and significantly less sex guilt. In the entire sample, sexual conservatism and sex guilt separately mediated the relationship between ethnicity and sexual desire such that women with more sex guilt and those who were more sexually conservative reported lower sexual desire. Among the East Asian women, sex guilt, but not sexual conservatism, mediated the relationship between mainstream acculturation (degree of westernization) and sexual desire such that women with more sex guilt reported lower sexual desire. These findings suggest that sex guilt may be one mechanism by which ethnic groups differ in sexual desire.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abramson, P. R., & Imai-Marquez, J. (1982). The Japanese-American: A cross-cultural, cross-sectional study of sex guilt. Journal of Research in Personality, 16, 227–237.
Abramson, P. R., & Mosher, D. L. (1979). An empirical investigation of experimentally induced masturbatory fantasies. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 8, 27–39.
Ahrold, T. K., & Meston, C. M. (2010). Ethnic differences in sexual attitudes of U.S. college students: Gender, acculturation, and religiosity factors. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 39, 190–202.
Baldwin, J. D., Whiteley, S., & Baldwin, J. I. (1992). The effect of ethnic group on sexual activities related to contraception and STDs. Journal of Sex Research, 29, 189–205.
Barlow, D. H. (1986). Causes of sexual dysfunction: The role of anxiety and cognitive interference. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 140–148.
Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173–1182.
Berry, J. W. (1980). Acculturation as varieties of adaptation. In A. M. Padilla (Ed.), Acculturation: Theory, models and some new findings (pp. 9–25). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Brotto, L. A., Basson, R., & Luria, M. (2008). A mindfulness-based group psychoeducational intervention targeting sexual arousal disorder in women. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 5, 1646–1659.
Brotto, L. A., Chik, H. M., Ryder, A. G., Gorzalka, B. B., & Seal, B. N. (2005). Acculturation and sexual function in Asian women. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 34, 613–626.
Brotto, L. A., Woo, J. S. T., & Ryder, A. G. (2007). Acculturation and sexual function in Canadian East Asian men. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 4, 72–82.
Burt, M. R. (1980). Cultural myths and supports for rape. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 38, 217–230.
Cado, S., & Leitenberg, H. (1990). Guilt reactions to sexual fantasies during intercourse. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 19, 49–63.
Cain, V. S., Johannes, C. B., Avis, N. E., Mohr, B., Schocken, M., Skurnick, J., et al. (2003). Sexual functioning and practices in a multi-ethnic study of midlife women: Baseline results from SWAN. Journal of Sex Research, 40, 266–276.
Chan, D. W. (1990). Sex knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of Chinese medical students in Hong Kong. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 19, 73–93.
Chang, J. (1997). The Tao of love and sex: The ancient Chinese way to ecstasy. New York: Penguin.
Chang, S. R., Chang, T. C., Chen, K. H., & Lin, H. H. (2009). Developing and validating a Taiwan version of the Female Sexual Function Index for pregnant women. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 6, 1609–1616.
Darling, C. A., Davidson, J. K., & Passarello, L. C. (1992). The mystique of first intercourse among college youth: The role of partners, contraceptive practices, and psychological reactions. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 21, 97–117.
Derogatis, L. R., & Melisaratos, N. (1979). The DSFI: A multidimensional measure of sexual functioning. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 5, 244–281.
Derogatis, L. R., Melisaratos, N., & Clark, M. M. (1976a). Gender and sexual experience as determinants in a sexual behavior hierarchy. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 2, 85–105.
Derogatis, L. R., Meyer, J. K., & Dupkin, C. N. (1976b). Discrimination of organic versus psychogenic impotence with the DSFI. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 2, 229–239.
Durex. (2005). Give and receive. 2005 Global Sex Survey results. Retrieved June 18, 2008, from http://www.durex.com/cm/gss2005result.pdf
Galbraith, G. G. (1969). The Mosher Sex-Guilt Scale and the Thorne Sex Inventory: Intercorrelations. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 25, 292–294.
Grunbaum, J. A., Lowy, R., Kann, L., & Pateman, B. (2000). Prevalence of health risk behaviors among Asian American/Pacific Islander high school students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 27, 322–330.
Gudykunst, W. B. (2001). Asian American ethnicity and communication. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Hawton, K., Catalan, J., & Fagg, J. (1991). Low sexual desire: Sex therapy results and prognostic factors. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 29, 217–224.
Higgins, L. T., & Sun, C. H. (2007). Gender, social background and sexual attitudes among Chinese students. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 9, 31–42.
Higgins, L. T., Zheng, M., Liu, Y., & Sun, C. H. (2002). Attitudes to marriage and sexual behaviours: A survey of gender and culture differences in China and United Kingdom. Sex Roles, 46, 75–89.
Huang, K., & Uba, L. (1992). Premarital sexual behavior among Chinese college students in the United States. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 21, 227–240.
Hurlbert, D. F. (1993). A comparative study using orgasm consistency training in the treatment of women reporting hypoactive sexual desire. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 19, 41–55.
Kennedy, M. A., & Gorzalka, B. B. (2002). Asian and non-Asian attitudes toward rape, sexual harassment and sexuality. Sex Roles, 46, 227–238.
Kim, J. L., & Ward, L. M. (2007). Silence speaks volumes: Parental sexual communication among Asian American emerging adults. Journal of Adolescent Research, 22, 3–31.
Laumann, E. O., Nicolosi, A., Glasser, D. B., Paik, A., Gingell, C., Moreira, E., et al. (2005). Sexual problems among women and men aged 40–80 y: Prevalence and correlates identified in the Global Study of Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors. International Journal of Impotence Research, 17, 39–57.
McCabe, M. P. (2001). Evaluation of a cognitive behavior therapy program for people with sexual dysfunction. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 27, 259–271.
Meisler, A. W., & Carey, M. P. (1991). Depressed affect and male sexual arousal. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 20, 541–554.
Meston, C. M., & Ahrold, T. K. (2010). Ethnic, gender, and acculturation influences on sexual behaviors. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 39, 179–189.
Meston, C. M., Trapnell, P. D., & Gorzalka, B. B. (1996). Ethnic and gender differences in sexuality: Variations in sexual behavior between Asian and non-Asian university students. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 25, 33–72.
Meston, C. M., Trapnell, P. D., & Gorzalka, B. B. (1998). Ethnic, gender, and length-of-residency influences on sexual knowledge and attitudes. Journal of Sex Research, 35, 176–188.
Meyer-Bahlburg, H. F. L., & Dolezal, C. (2007). The Female Sexual Function Index: A methodological critique and suggestions for improvement. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 33, 217–224.
Mitchell, W. B., DiBartolo, P. M., Brown, T. A., & Barlow, D. H. (1998). Effects of positive and negative mood on sexual arousal in sexually functional males. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 27, 197–207.
Mosher, D. L. (1966). The development and multitrait-multimethod matrix analysis of three measures of three aspects of guilt. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 30, 24–29.
Mosher, D. L. (1988). Revised Mosher Guilt Inventory. In C. M. Davis, W. L. Yarber, & S. L. Davis (Eds.), Sexuality-related measures (pp. 152–155). Lake Mills, IA: Graphic Publishing.
Mosher, D. L., & Cross, H. J. (1971). Sex guilt and premarital sexual experiences of college students. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 36, 27–32.
Ng, M. L., & Lau, M. P. (1990). Sexual attitudes in the Chinese. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 19, 373–388.
Nobre, P. J., & Pinto-Gouveia, J. (2006). Emotions during sexual activity: Differences between sexually functional and dysfunctional men and women. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 35, 491–499.
Ott, M. A., & Pfeiffer, E. J. (2009). “That’s nasty” to curiosity: Early adolescent cognitions about sexual abstinence. Journal of Adolescent Health, 44, 575–581.
Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2004). SPSS and SAS procedures for estimating indirect effects in simple mediation models. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers, 36, 717–731.
Rosen, R., Brown, C., Heiman, J., Leiblum, S., Meston, C., Shabsigh, R., et al. (2000). The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): A multidimensional self-report instrument for the assessment of female sexual function. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 26, 191–208.
Ruma, E. H., & Mosher, D. L. (1967). Relationship between moral judgment and guilt in delinquent boys. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 72, 122–127.
Ryder, A. G., Alden, L. E., & Paulhus, D. L. (2000). Is acculturation unidimensional or bidimensional? A head-to-head comparison in the prediction of personality, self-identity, and adjustment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79, 49–65.
Schover, L. R., & LoPiccolo, J. (1982). Treatment effectiveness for dysfunctions of sexual desire. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 8, 179–197.
Schuster, M. A., Bell, R. M., Nakajima, G. A., & Kanouse, D. E. (1998). The sexual practices of Asian and Pacific Islander high school students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 23, 221–231.
Shrout, P. E., & Bolger, N. (2002). Mediation in experimental and nonexperimental studies: New procedures and recommendations. Psychological Methods, 7, 422–445.
Tang, C. S., Lai, F. D., & Chung, T. K. H. (1997). Assessment of sexual functioning for Chinese college students. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 26, 79–90.
Trudel, G., Marchand, A., Ravart, M., Aubin, S., Turgeon, L., & Fortier, P. (2001). The effect of a cognitive-behavioural group treatment program on hypoactive sexual desire in women. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 16, 145–164.
Upchurch, D. M., Levy-Storms, L., Sucoff, C., & Aneshensel, C. S. (1998). Gender and ethnic difference in the timing of first sexual intercourse. Family Planning Perspectives, 30, 121–127.
Wiegel, M., Meston, C., & Rosen, R. (2005). The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): Cross-validation and development of clinical cutoff scores. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 31, 1–20.
Woo, J. S. T., & Brotto, L. A. (2008). Age of first sexual intercourse and acculturation: Effects on adult sexual responding. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 5, 571–582.
Woo, J. S. T., Brotto, L. A., & Gorzalka, B. B. (2009a). The role of sexuality in cervical cancer screening among Chinese women. Health Psychology, 28, 598–604.
Woo, J. S. T., Brotto, L. A., & Yule, M. (2009b). Do East Asian and Caucasian women differ in sexual psychophysiology research participation? Journal of Sex Research. doi:10.1080/00224490902999294.
Yule, M., Brotto, L. A., & Woo, J. S. T. (2009). Sexual arousal in East Asian and Euro-Canadian women: A psychophysiological study. Manuscript submitted for publication.
Acknowledgement
Funding for this study came from a Hampton Research Fund from the University of British Columbia awarded to L. A. Brotto. J.S.T. Woo was awarded the 2010 Society for Sex Therapy and Research Student Award for this research.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Woo, J.S.T., Brotto, L.A. & Gorzalka, B.B. The Role of Sex Guilt in the Relationship Between Culture and Women’s Sexual Desire. Arch Sex Behav 40, 385–394 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-010-9609-0
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-010-9609-0