Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Online Sexual Activity Experience of Heterosexual Students: Gender Similarities and Differences

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study compared male and female university students’ experiences with online sexual activity (OSA) and tested a model explaining gender differences in OSA. OSAs were categorized as non-arousal (e.g., seeking sexuality information), solitary-arousal (e.g., viewing sexually explicit materials), or partnered-arousal (e.g., sharing sexual fantasies). Participants (N = 217) completed measures of OSA experience, sexual attitudes, and sexual experience. Significantly more men than women reported engaging in solitary-arousal and partnered-arousal OSA and doing so more often. However, the men and women who reported having engaged in partnered-arousal activities reported equal frequencies of experience. There were no significant gender differences for engaging in non-arousal OSA experience. These results support the importance of grouping OSAs in terms of the proposed non-arousal, solitary-arousal, and partnered-arousal categories. Attitude toward OSA but not general attitudes toward or experiences with sexuality partially mediated the relationship between gender and frequency of engaging in arousal-oriented OSA (solitary and partnered OSA). This suggests that attitude toward OSA specifically and not gender socialization more generally account for gender differences in OSA experience.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1977). Attitude-behavior relations: A theoretical analysis and review of empirical research. Psychological Bulletin, 84, 888–918.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Albarracin, D., Johnson, B. T., Fishbein, M., & Muellerleile, P. A. (2001). Theories of reasoned action and planned behavior as models of condom use: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 127, 142–161.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alexander, M. G., & Fisher, T. D. (2003). Truth and consequences: Using the bogus pipeline to examine sex differences in self-reported sexuality. Journal of Sex Research, 40, 27–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Allen, M., Emmers-Sommer, T. M., D’Alessio, D., Timmerman, L., Hanzal, A., & Korus, J. (2007). The connection between the physiological and psychological reactions to sexually explicit materials: A literature summary using meta-analysis. Communications Monographs, 74, 541–560.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister, R. F., Catanese, K. R., & Vols, K. D. (2001). Is there a gender difference in strength of sex drive? Theoretical views, conceptual distinctions, and a review of relevant evidence. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 5, 242–273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boies, S. C. (2002). University students’ uses of and reactions to online sexual information and entertainment: Links to online and offline sexual behavior. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 11, 77–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byers, E. S. (1996). How well does the traditional sexual script explain sexual coercion? Review of a program of research. Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality, 8, 7–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Byers, E. S., Henderson, J., & Hobson, K. M. (2009). University students’ definitions of sexual abstinence and having sex. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 38, 665–674.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Byers, L. J., Menzies, K. S., & O’Grady, W. L. (2004). The impact of computer variables on the viewing and sending of sexually explicit material on the Internet: Testing Cooper’s “Triple-A Engine”. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 13, 157–169.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cha, E. S., Doswell, W. M., Kim, K. H., Charron-Prochownik, D., & Patrick, T. E. (2007). Evaluating the theory of planned behavior to explain intention to engage in premarital sex amongst Korean college students: A questionnaire survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 44, 1147–1157.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, A., & Griffin-Shelley, E. (2002). Introduction. The Internet: The next sexual revolution. In A. Cooper (Ed.), Sex and the Internet: A guidebook for clinicians (pp. 1–15). New York: Brunner-Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, A., Morahan-Martin, J., Mathy, R. M., & Maheu, M. (2002). Toward an increased understanding of user demographics in online sexual activities. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 28, 105–129.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Daneback, K., Cooper, A., & Månsson, S.-A. (2005). An Internet study of cybersex participants. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 34, 321–328.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Field, G. (2009, January 5). Houston, we have a porn problem. Glamour Magazine. Retrieved February 19, 2008, from http://www.glamour.com/sex-love-life/2009/01/houston-we-have-a-porn-problem?currentPage=4.

  • Gagnon, J. H., & Simon, W. (1973). Sexual conduct: The social sources of human sexuality. Chicago, IL: Aldine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganesalingam, K., Sanson, A., Anderson, V., & Yeates, K. O. (2007). Self-regulation as a mediator of the effects of childhood traumatic brain injury on social and behavioral functioning. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 13, 298–311.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goodson, P., McCormick, D., & Evans, A. (2001). Searching for sexually explicit materials on the internet: An exploratory study of college students’ behavior and attitudes. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 30, 101–118.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heinz, B., Gu, L., Inuzuka, A., & Zender, R. (2002). Under the rainbow flag: Webbing global gay identities. International Journal of Sexuality and Gender Studies, 7, 107–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudson, W. W., Murphy, G. J., & Nurius, P. S. (1983). A short-form scale to measure liberal vs. conservative orientation toward human sexual expression. Journal of Sex Research, 19, 258–272.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, L. A., Ervin, K. S., Gardner, P. D., & Schmitt, N. (2001). Gender and the Internet: Women communicating and men searching. Sex Roles, 44, 363–379.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ku, L., Sonenstein, F. L., Lindberg, L. D., Bradner, C. H., Boggess, S., & Pleck, J. H. (1998). Understanding changes in sexual activity among young metropolitan men: 1979–1995. Family Planning Perspectives, 30, 256–262.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lopez, P. A., & George, W. H. (1995). Men’s enjoyment of explicit erotica: Effects of person-specific attitudes and gender-specific norms. Journal of Sex Research, 32, 275–288.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Reilly, S., Knox, D., & Zusman, M. E. (2007). College student attitudes toward pornography use. College Student Journal, 41, 402–406.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Sullivan, L. F., & Byers, E. S. (1992). College students’ incorporation of initiator and restrictor roles in sexual dating interactions. Journal of Sex Research, 29, 435–446.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, J. L., & Hyde, J. S. (2010). A meta-analytic review of research on gender differences in sexuality, 1993–2007. Psychological Bulletin, 136, 21–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PEW Internet and American Life Project. (2009, December 4). Trend data. Retrieved March 23, 2010, from http://www.pewinternet.org/Trend-Data/Online-Activities-Daily.aspx.

  • PEW Internet and American Life Project (2010, January 6). Demographics of internet users. Retrieved March 23, 2010, from http://pewinternet.org/Static-Pages/Trend-Data/Whos-Online.aspx.

  • Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models. Behavior Research Methods, 40, 879–891.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rye, B. J., & Meaney, G. J. (2007). The pursuit of sexual pleasure. Sexuality and Culture, 11, 28–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, P., & Rutter, V. (2000). The gender of sexuality: Sexual possibilities (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, J. A., & Gangestad, S. W. (1991). Individual differences in sociosexuality: Evidence for convergent and discriminant validity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 870–883.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spector, I. P., Carey, M. P., & Steinberg, L. (1996). The Sexual Desire Inventory: Development, factor structure, and evidence of reliability. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 22, 175–190.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Traeen, B., Nilsen, T. S., & Stigum, H. (2006). Use of pornography in traditional media and on the Internet in Norway. Journal of Sex Research, 43, 245–254.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wiederman, M. W. (1999). Volunteer bias in sexuality research using college student samples. Journal of Sex Research, 36, 59–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiederman, M. W. (2005). The gendered nature of sexual scripts. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 13, 496–502.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yost, M. R., & Zurbriggen, E. L. (2006). Gender differences in the enactment of sociosexuality: An examination of implicit social motives, sexual fantasies, coercive sexual attitudes, aggressive sexual behavior. Journal of Sex Research, 43, 163–173.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Parts of this research were conducted with the support of funding from a Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada Doctoral Fellowship to the first author and under the supervision of the second author. The data for this study were collected by the third author in partial fulfillment of her Honours thesis under the supervision of the second author. The authors would like to thank members of the Human Sexuality Research Group at the University of New Brunswick, particularly Susan Voyer and Hillary Randall, for their help with data collection and data entry.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, PO Box 4400, Fredericton, NB, E3B 6E4, Canada

    Krystelle Shaughnessy & E. Sandra Byers

  2. Department of Kinesiology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada

    Lindsay Walsh

Authors
  1. Krystelle Shaughnessy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. Sandra Byers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lindsay Walsh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. Sandra Byers.

Appendix

Appendix

Table 5 Online sexual experience questionnaire
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shaughnessy, K., Byers, E.S. & Walsh, L. Online Sexual Activity Experience of Heterosexual Students: Gender Similarities and Differences. Arch Sex Behav 40, 419–427 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-010-9629-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-010-9629-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation