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Sexual Motives, Gender, and Sexual Behavior

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Abstract

The roles of gender and the sexual motives of Love, Pleasure, Conformity, Recognition, Dominance, and Submission in numerous usual and unusual sexual behaviors were investigated. In a survey of 191 college undergraduates it was found that Love, Pleasure, Conformity, and Recognition motives, often in interaction with gender, were all important predictors of sexual behavior. Gender was the best predictor of initiating usual sexual behavior, whereas the Love motive was the best predictor of actually engaging in usual sexual behavior. Pleasure and Recognition in interaction with gender were the best predictors of engaging in unusual sexual behavior. None of the sexual motives predicted initiating unusual sexual behavior. Findings suggest that a variety of sexual motives may underlie sexual behavior.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii, 2430 Campus Road, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96822

    James R. Browning & Elaine Hatfield

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, 61820

    Debra Kessler

  3. Department of Speech, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96822

    Tim Levine

Authors
  1. James R. Browning
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  2. Elaine Hatfield
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  3. Debra Kessler
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  4. Tim Levine
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Browning, J.R., Hatfield, E., Kessler, D. et al. Sexual Motives, Gender, and Sexual Behavior. Arch Sex Behav 29, 135–153 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1001903705153

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1001903705153

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