Implicit Sex Guilt Predicts Sexual Behaviors: Evidence for the Validity of the Sex-Guilt Implicit Association Test

Abstract

Self-report measures of sexuality may be influenced by people's conscious concerns about confidentiality and social desirability. Alternatively, non-conscious measures (e.g., implicit association tests; [IATs]) are designed to minimize these validity concerns. We constructed an IAT measure of sex guilt using 154 male and female university students. The sex-guilt IAT demonstrated convergent validity as it correlated with various sexual behaviors and incremental validity as it improved the prediction of several sexual behaviors beyond that provided by the Brief Mosher Sex Guilt Scale. We conclude that a non conscious measure of sex guilt may complement the use of self-reports in studying sexual behaviors.

Acknowledgments

This work is based on a master's thesis submitted by Delaram A. Totonchi to Old Dominion University. Special thanks toMichael Janda for creating the IATsoftware and to Dr. Barbara Winstead for thoughtful suggestions in preparing the manuscript.