title: Sexual motives, gender, and sexual behavior.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu 96822, USA.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Browning
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hatfield
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Levine
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires