title: The relationship between intercourse preference positions and personality traits among gay men in China.
abstract: Distinctions are commonly made regarding preferences for insertive or receptive anal intercourse within the gay male community. Three sexual self-labels are typically specified: "top," meaning a man who prefers the insertive position, "bottom," meaning a man who prefers the receptive position, and "versatile," meaning a man willing to perform either position. The aim of this study was to examine personality differences among these three groups in gay men in China. We sampled 220 Internet-obtained Chinese gay men on instrumentality, expressiveness, gender-related interests, self-ascribed masculinity- femininity (Self-MF), and Big Five personality traits. Significant differences were found among sexual self-label groups in sexual behavior and in gendered traits and interests. Tops scored higher than the bottoms on instrumentality, gender-related interests, and self-ascribed masculinity-femininity (Self-MF) and bottoms scored higher than tops on expressiveness. Versatiles' scores in gender-related traits were intermediate between that of tops and bottoms. There were no significant differences in Big Five traits among the three groups. Sexual self-labels appear not only to distinguish sexual behavior patterns but may also suggest gender role differences among Chinese gay men.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, School of Psychology, Southwest University, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Trevor A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology*; D005783:Gender Identity; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D010556:Personality Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires