Sex differences and sexual orientation differences in personality: findings from the BBC Internet survey.
Analyzing a large international data set generated by a BBC Internet survey, I examined sex differences and sexual orientation differences in six personality traits: extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism, disagreeable assertiveness, masculine versus feminine occupational preferences (MF-Occ), and self-ascribed masculinity-femininity (Self-MF). Consistent with previous research, sex differences and sexual orientation differences were largest for MF-Occ and for Self-MF. In general, heterosexual-homosexual differences mirrored sex differences in personality, with gay men shifted in female-typical and lesbians in male-typical directions. Bisexual men scored intermediate between heterosexual and gay men on MF-Occ; however, they were slightly more feminine than gay men on Self-MF. Bisexual women scored intermediate between heterosexual women and lesbians on both MF-Occ and Self-MF. Sex differences and sexual orientation differences in MF-Occ, Self-MF, and other personality traits were consistent across five nations/world regions (the UK, USA, Canada, Australia/New Zealand, and Western Europe), thereby suggesting a biological component to these differences.
Lippa
Richard A
RA
Department of Psychology, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92834, USA. rlippa@fullerton.edu
D000328:Adult; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D002321:Career Choice; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D006113:United Kingdom