title: Sexual behavior, responsiveness, and attitudes among women: a test of two theories.
abstract: This study tests two theories regarding the attitude and behavioral determinants of women's coital and masturbatory orgasmic responsiveness. Data from 115 sexually active women were analyzed using latent-variable structural equation models. Twenty-one variables are used to represent seven latent constructs: Parent Sexual Attitudes, Sexual Latency, Sexual Behavior, Dating Competence, Social Assertiveness, Subjective Masturbatory Responsiveness, and Subjective Coital Responsiveness. Two specific theories are tested with these constructs. Each theory predicts a different structural arrangement among these latent factors with the fundamental difference being whether behavior predicts responsiveness or vice-versa. Two alternate models were found to reflect the data adequately. In both instances, attitudes predicted behavior and, in general, orgasmic responsiveness tended to be a function of behavior.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001242:Assertiveness; D001290:Attitude; D003075:Coitus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008418:Masturbation; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009948:Orgasm; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology