title: Sexual willingness with same- and other-sex prospective partners: Experimental evidence from the bar scene.
abstract: Sex is ubiquitous in the media, but only a fraction depicts sexual interactions between same-sex partners. This field study, conducted outside of bars in the Midwestern United States, examined 83 heterosexuals' sexual willingness with a same- or other-sex partner. Participants viewed a randomly assigned video vignette of a same- or other-sex partner. Alcohol intake, partner attractiveness, and sexual willingness were measured. Using moderated regression analysis, we found that alcohol intake predicted sexual willingness with the male target for both men and women, but not with the female target. The attractiveness of same-sex partners was related to sexual willingness. Sexual willingness was only influenced by alcohol intake and perceived attractiveness of a same-sex prospective partner. Most notably, alcohol intake was related to increased sexual willingness of men with a same-sex partner, suggesting a potential shift in normative casual sexual behavior among heterosexual men.
authors.affiliation: a Wayne State University.
authors.forename: Breanne R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Helmers
authors.affiliation: b Western Illinois University.
authors.forename: Colin R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Harbke
authors.affiliation: b Western Illinois University.
authors.forename: Julie C
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7277-9074
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Herbstrith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Experimental design; gender differences; normative sexual behavior; psychology and sexuality; sexual orientation