Religiosity and Sexual Behavior: Tense Relationships and Underlying Affects and Cognitions in Samples of Christian and Muslim Traditions

Abstract

Religion's historical mistrust of sexuality shapes people's behavior by inhibiting liberal sexuality. Still, it is unclear whether this inhibitive role also includes common, normative sexual behavior, particularly in secularized contexts. Moreover, the possible mediating effects emotions, affects, and thoughts have on the association between religiosity and restricted sexuality have never been integrated into a single model. Finally, cross-religious differences in common sexual behavior have still yet to be documented. We addressed these three issues in two studies, with samples of Catholic and Muslim tradition (total N = 446). Consistently across samples, religiosity predicted, either directly or indirectly, less frequent common heterosexual behaviors and masturbation, partly through sexual guilt and inhibition, and/or decreased sexual fantasy and the search for sexual pleasure. However, married Muslims’ religiosity, unlike Catholics’, did not directly undermine fertility-oriented sexuality and the search for pleasure. Religion's role in restricting sexuality seems to be rooted in deep psychological rationale.

Development and Validation of the Chinese Version of The Masturbation Beliefs Scale

“…Previous researchers have demonstrated that culture plays a fundamental role in individuals’ beliefs and attitudes about and affect toward sexuality and shapes individuals’ cognition and emotions regarding their experiences toward sexuality. 28 , 29 …”

Intensi Seksual Remaja: Apa Saja Faktor Pembedanya?

“…Masyarakat Indonesia merupakan masyarakat religius yang menganggap hubungan seks sebagai hal yang bersifat pribadi, tabu untuk diekspresikan secara terbuka, dan hanya boleh dilakukan dalam pernikahan (Rigo & Saroglou, 2018). Sosialisasi seksual dalam keluarga dan masyarakat diarahkan pada upaya mencegah hubungan seksual di luar pernikahan.…”

The sex premium in religiously motivated moral judgment.

“…The second body of theory, here called reproductive theory, posits that religion has developed not because of its effects on cooperation, but instead because of its effects on sexuality and reproduction (Deak & Saroglou, 2015; Moon, Krems, Cohen, & Kendrick, 2019; Reynolds & Tanner, 1995; Rigo & Saroglou, 2018; Saroglou, 2019; Schmitt & Fuller, 2015; Shaver, 2017; Shaver, Sibley, Sosis, Galbraith, & Bulbulia, 2019; Strassmann et al, 2012; Weeden & Kurzban, 2013). Reproductive theory starts with the observation that promiscuity (e.g., male abandonment and female cuckoldry) undermines the sexual strategies of people who choose instead to pursue sexual strategies characterized by monogamy and extensive investment in one’s offspring.…”