The Role of Sex Guilt in the Relationship Between Culture and Women’s Sexual Desire

Abstract

A large body of literature demonstrates that East Asian women report lower sexual desire than Caucasian women. Although most studies have explained these differences by referring to general culture-linked differences in sexual conservatism, none have examined the potential role of specific constructs such as sex guilt. The goals of the current study were to examine the supposition that sexual conservatism mediates the relationship between culture and sexual desire, and to explore the potential mediating role of sex guilt in the link between culture and sexual desire. Caucasian (n = 105) and East Asian (n = 137) female university students completed questionnaires online. Caucasian women reported significantly higher levels of sexual desire, significantly lower levels of sexual conservatism, and significantly less sex guilt. In the entire sample, sexual conservatism and sex guilt separately mediated the relationship between ethnicity and sexual desire such that women with more sex guilt and those who were more sexually conservative reported lower sexual desire. Among the East Asian women, sex guilt, but not sexual conservatism, mediated the relationship between mainstream acculturation (degree of westernization) and sexual desire such that women with more sex guilt reported lower sexual desire. These findings suggest that sex guilt may be one mechanism by which ethnic groups differ in sexual desire.

Acculturation and language use in intimate and sexual relationships among Chinese bilinguals.

“…As an alternative to unidimensional models, which put mainstream culture and heritage culture at opposite ends of a continuum, bidimensional models independently assess endorsement of both mainstream and heritage cultures (Brotto et al, 2005;Meston & Ahrold, 2010;Woo & Brotto, 2008;Woo et al, 2011). Bidimensional models have two core assumptions.…”

“…Previous research suggested that in general, high endorsement of heritage culture (enculturation) is associated with more conservative sexual values, narrower repertoire of sexual behaviors, less sexual satisfaction, and less frequency in sexual activities; whereas, high endorsement of U.S. mainstream culture (acculturation) is related with more open attitudes towards sex, increased pleasure and arousal from sexual activities, less sexual guilt, and more sexual communication (Brotto et al, 2005;Morton & Gorzalka, 2013;Woo & Brotto, 2008;Woo, Brotto, & Gorzalka, 2011), which potentially leads to higher relationship and sexual satisfaction. Lee, Oyserman, & Bond, 2010;Marian & Neisser, 2000;Matsumoto, Anguas-Wong, & Martinex, 2008;Oyserman & Lee, 2008;Trafimow, Silverman, Fan, & Law, 1997;Verkuyten & Pouliasi, 2006).…”

What’s Sex Got to Do with It? The Role of Sexual Experience in the Sexual Attitudes, and Sexual Guilt and Anxiety of Young Muslim Adults in Canada and the United States

“…Sexual anxiety has long been thought to play an important role in the sexual dysfunction of both men and women (Aluja, 2004;Beggs, Calhoun, & Wolchik, 1987;Hensel, Fortenberry, O'Sullivan, & Orr, 2011), and at extreme levels can become a clinically disordered experience leading to sexual dysfunction and requiring therapeutic attention (e.g., Everaerd & Dekker, 1982;Mccabe, 1992;Munjack, 1984;Nemetz, Craig, & Reith, 1978;White, Fichtenbaum, & Dollard, 1967). Sexual guilt has been implicated in decreased sexual drive and satisfaction and increased sexual dysfunction (Cado & Leitenberg, 1990;Darling, Davidson, & Passarello, 1992;Galbraith, 1969;Merrell, 2009;Morokoff, 1985;Nobre & Pinto-Gouveia, 2006;Woo, Brotto, & Gorzalka, 2011), and less sexual behavior including sexual intercourse (Love, Sloan, & Schmidt, 1976). Considering lower sexual frequency has been found to be related to higher rates of divorce (Yabiku & Gager, 2009) the presence of sexual guilt could create marriage instability.…”

20201218

“…Sexual anxiety has long been thought to play an important role in the sexual dysfunction of both men and women (Aluja, 2004;Beggs, Calhoun, & Wolchik, 1987;Hensel, Fortenberry, O'Sullivan, & Orr, 2011), and at extreme levels can become a clinically disordered experience leading to sexual dysfunction and requiring therapeutic attention (e.g., Everaerd & Dekker, 1982;Mccabe, 1992;Munjack, 1984;Nemetz, Craig, & Reith, 1978;White, Fichtenbaum, & Dollard, 1967). Sexual guilt has been implicated in decreased sexual drive and satisfaction and increased sexual dysfunction (Cado & Leitenberg, 1990;Darling, Davidson, & Passarello, 1992;Galbraith, 1969;Merrell, 2009;Morokoff, 1985;Nobre & Pinto-Gouveia, 2006;Woo, Brotto, & Gorzalka, 2011), and less sexual behavior including sexual intercourse (Love, Sloan, & Schmidt, 1976). Considering lower sexual frequency has been found to be related to higher rates of divorce (Yabiku & Gager, 2009) the presence of sexual guilt could create marriage instability.…”