Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: There is little research on whether adolescents’ exposure to sexually explicit online material is related to two important characteristics of their sexual self – sexual uncertainty and sexual exploration. Moreover, the role of gender in these potential associations has hardly been studied. Drawing on a sample of 2,305 Dutch adolescents aged 13 – 20, we found that more frequent exposure to sexually explicit online material was associated with greater sexual uncertainty and more positive attitudes toward uncommitted sexual exploration (i.e., sexual relations with casual partners/friends or with sexual partners in one-night stands). Testing different causal models for the influence of gender, we found two direct effects: In comparison with female adolescents, male adolescents were less sexually uncertain and held more positive attitudes toward uncommitted sexual exploration. However, indirect effects of gender also emerged. Male adolescents consumed sexually explicit online material more frequently than female adolescents, which, in turn, was associated with both greater sexual uncertainty and more positive attitudes toward uncommitted sexual exploration. Our findings call for more attention to adolescents’ exposure to sexually explicit material on the internet and identity-related issues.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: A cognitive priming/spreading activation frame and a lexical decision task paradigm were employed to understand the effects of playing a sexually explicit video game with female “objectification” content on male players. Men who played the sexually explicit video game recognized words with sexual connotations and words describing women as sex objects more quickly than did men in the control conditions. Men who played the sexually explicit game also displayed an increased tendency to engage in sexual harassment compared to men who played non-sexual video games. The anticipated interaction between sex-typing and the sexually explicit video game condition was not found. Overall, the study provides strong empirical evidence that a sexually explicit video game with themes of female “objectification” may prime thoughts related to sex, encourage men to view women as sex objects, and increase the likelihood of self reported tendencies to behave inappropriately toward women in social situations.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Nancy Garden’s 1982 novel Annie on My Mind broke new ground in young adult literature with the positive portrayal of a lesbian relationship between teen girls. Did that ground harvest a more inclusive and positive sexual agency for bisexual girls and lesbian teens? This presentation frames its discussion around this question and offers historical context and a preliminary theory of young women’s sexual agency in young adult literature through the lens of sexual orientation frequently defined as “other.”

Publication Type: Poster
Abstract: Sexual self-esteem, parental sexual communication, and sexual media consumption were tested among college virgins (n=150) and non-virgins (n=150). The results indicated that having lower sexual self-esteem, higher levels of parental sexual communication and higher levels of sexual media consumption predicted virginity.

Publication Type: Poster
Abstract: Theoretical models and empirical studies suggest the presence of multiple antisocial trajectories leading to sexual offending in adulthood. To date, two meta-trajectories have been identified, an early-onset and late-onset but it is unclear how they differ in terms of sexual development. The scientific literature has emphasized two key aspects of sexual development important to sexual aggression: (1) mating effort, and (2) sexual compulsivity. This paper examines first, the extent to which the two meta-trajectories differ in terms of mating effort and sexual compulsivity and second, the relative importance of the sexual development on the unfolding of sexual criminal activity in adulthood. The study is based on a sample (n=204) of convicted sexual aggressors of women in a Canadian penitentiary. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather information about antisocial trajectories and sexual development. Police data were used to gather information about the criminal activity in adulthood. A two-step clustering technique was used to identify antisocial trajectories and factor analysis helped in identifying mating effort and sexual compulsivity constructs. Findings from analyses of covariance indicate that early-onset trajectories were more sexual compulsive and exhibited higher levels of mating effort. However, multiple regressions showed that while antisocial trajectories appeared more important for the activation, sexual development better explained frequency of sexual offending.