Date of Award

7-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Department

Psychology & Gerontology

First Advisor

David Farmer, Ph.D.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate correlated sexual attitude measures, gender differences in sexual attitudes, and the relationship between religious practice and sexual attitudes. The sample consisted of 92 undergraduate students (17 men and 75 women). The majority were young, Hispanic, straight, single, and were religious. An online survey was administered regarding 23-items from the Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale (BSAS) followed by demographic items. Main analyses showed that permissiveness and instrumentality attitudes were positively and weakly correlated with a medium effect. Additionally, birth control and communion were not correlated nor statistically significant. Men were insignificantly more permissive but less instrumental than women, while women insignificantly endorsed less birth control but were more communal than men. Furthermore, religiously practicing undergraduates were largely less permissive, and insignificantly less instrumental, communal, and endorsed less birth control than nonpracticing undergraduates. Exploratory analyses revealed that permissiveness and birth control attitudes were positively and moderately correlated with a medium effect. Additionally, white undergraduates largely endorsed more birth control than Hispanics, and bisexuals were moderately more communal than heterosexuals. This study was significant because of the dangers of high sexual permissiveness, especially in young, heterosexual, Latinx women who are more likely to be submissive and less sexually assertive with birth control, which can lead to unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and less sexual pleasure.

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