Exploring the Relationship between Sexual Compulsivity and Attentional Bias to Sex-Related Words in a Cohort of Sexually Active Individuals.
OBJECTIVE
If sexual compulsivity and other addictive behaviours share common aetiology, contemporary proposals about the role of attentional processes in understanding addictive behaviours are relevant.


METHODS
To examine attentional biases for sex-related words among sexually active individuals and the relationship between sexual compulsivity and sexual behavioural engagement with attentional bias, 55 sexually active individuals completed a modified Stroop task and the sexual compulsivity scale.


RESULTS
Findings showed attentional bias towards sex-related stimuli among sexually active participants. In addition, among those with low levels of sexual compulsivity, levels of attentional bias were the same across all levels of sexual experience. Among those with higher levels of sexual compulsivity, greater attentional bias was linked with lower levels of sexual experience.


CONCLUSIONS
Attentional preference for concern-related stimuli varies as a function of the interaction between how long a person has been active sexually and how compulsive their sexual behaviour is.
Division of Psychology, London South Bank University, London, UK.
Ian P
IP
Albery
Jessica
J
Lowry
Dan
D
Frings
Henry Lee
HL
Johnson
Cassandra
C
Hogan
Antony C
AC
Moss
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000070379:Attentional Bias; D003192:Compulsive Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011930:Reaction Time; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D057190:Stroop Test; D055815:Young Adult