Comparing indicators of sexual sadism as predictors of recidivism among adult male sexual offenders.

Objective: In this longitudinal study, the predictive validity of a psychiatric diagnosis of sexual sadism was compared with three behavioral indicators of sadism: index sexual offense violence, sexual intrusiveness, and phallometrically assessed sexual arousal to depictions of sexual or nonsexual violence. Method: Five hundred and eighty six adult male sexual offenders were assessed between 1982 and 1992, and these offenders were followed for up to 20-years postrelease via official criminal records. Assessment information included the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) diagnosis, offense characteristics, phallometric assessment results, and an actuarial risk measure (the Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide). Results: Predictive validity was demonstrated in univariate analyses for the behavioral indicators of sexual sadism (area under the curve [AUCs] from .58 to .62) but not psychiatric diagnosis (AUC = .54). Cox regression analyses revealed that phallometrically assessed sexual arousal to violence was still significantly associated with violent (including sexual) recidivism after actuarially estimated risk to reoffend was controlled. A psychiatric diagnosis of sexual sadism, in contrast, was unrelated to recidivism. Conclusions: The results support the use of more behaviorally operationalized indicators of sexual sadism, especially phallometric assessment of sexual arousal, and suggest the DSM criteria for sexual sadism require further work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual arousal in response to aggression: Ideological, aggressive, and sexual correlates.

In Exp I, 37 male and 42 female undergraduates reported more sexual arousal in response to nonaggressive than to aggressive depictions when the portrayals were sexually explicit, but the opposite occurred when the portrayals were nonsexual. In Exp II, 367 males were classified into no arousal, moderate arousal, or high arousal from force (AFF) groups on the basis of self-reports. To evaluate the veridicality of this classification, 118 Ss' penile tumescence in response to various depictions was assessed. Findings generally replicate those of the Exp I and confirm the accuracy of the AFF classification. The no- and the moderate-AFF Ss were less sexually aroused by aggressive than by nonaggressive portrayals, but the opposite was found for the high-AFF group. Strong differences between AFF groups were found on ideological factors, including acceptance of violence against and dominance over women, acceptance of nonsexual aggression, and Ss' beliefs that they might actually use force against women. In contrast, differences were not found on sexuality factors. Implications for theories on the causes of rape are discussed. (64 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex role stereotyping and reactions to depictions of stranger versus acquaintance rape.

Tested 2 hypotheses implicit in the sex-role socialization analysis of rape: that reactions to rape may be affected (a) by the situational context in which a rape is portrayed and (b) by individual differences in sex role stereotyping. 289 male and female college students were classified as either high or low in sex-role stereotyping. They were then randomly assigned to read 1 of 3 sexual depictions (mutually consenting intercourse, stranger rape, and acquaintance rape) and were asked to indicate their sexual arousal and perceptions of the depictions. Male Ss were also asked to indicate the likelihood of their committing rape if they could be assured that no one would know. Results indicate sexual arousal and perceptual differences in reactions to the acquaintance rape vs stranger rape, and as expected, these reactions were mediated by Ss' sex-role stereotyping. High sex-role stereotyping Ss showed sexual arousal patterns like those typically found with identified rapist populations. Of the male Ss, 44% showed some likelihood of raping. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexually aggressive and nonaggressive men: Sexual arousal and judgments in response to acquaintance rape and consensual analogues.

Self-identified sexually aggressive (SA) and nonaggressive (NA) college men listened to audiotape analogues of consensual sexual intercourse and acquaintance rape. Phallometric and decision-latency methodology was used to examine sexual arousal and decisions to stop sexual advances in each scenario. Both groups showed increases in penile response to the consensual scenario. Consistent with the inhibition model of sexual aggression, the SA group showed greater sexual arousal and failed to inhibit responding when force was introduced in the rape, whereas the NA group exhibited less arousal and greater inhibition to force. The SA group allowed the rape to continue significantly longer than the NA group. These effects were greatly magnified in SA men who endorsed high calloused sexual beliefs, implying that a cognitive set that justifies sexual aggression and lacks victim empathy may disinhibit sexual arousal and potentiate coercive decision making. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual responsiveness of college students to rape depictions: Inhibitory and disinhibitory effects.

Conducted 2 experiments with a total of 436 undergraduates to identify the specific dimensions in portrayals of sexual violence that inhibit or disinhibit the sexual responsiveness of male and female college students. Exp I replicated earlier findings that normals are less sexually aroused by portrayals of sexual assault than by depictions of mutually consenting sex. In Exp II, it was shown that portraying the rape victim as experiencing an involuntary orgasm disinhibited Ss' sexual responsiveness and resulted in levels of arousal comparable to those elicited by depictions of mutually consenting sex. Surprisingly, however, it was found that although female Ss were most aroused when the rape victim was portrayed as experiencing an orgasm and no pain, males were most aroused when the victim experienced an orgasm and pain. The relevance of these data to pornography and to the common belief among rapists that their victims derive pleasure from being assaulted is discussed. Misattribution, identification, and power explanations of the findings are also discussed. Finally, it is suggested that arousing stimuli that fuse sexuality and violence may have antisocial effects. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of emotional arousal on subsequent sexual arousal in men.

The effect of emotional arousal on subsequent sexual arousal was assessed in 14 18–34 yr old men. Ss initially viewed either 1 of 2 emotionally arousing videotapes (depression-and-anger or anxiety-and-anger producing) or a neutral videotape (a travelogue), each of which was followed by an erotic videotape. Sexual arousal was measured physiologically with a penile strain gauge. Although there were no differences in the level of sexual arousal during the antecedent emotionally arousing or neutral videotapes, sexual arousal during the subsequent erotic videotapes was differentially affected by them. Sexual arousal following the anxiety-and-anger videotape was greater than that following either the depression-and-anger videotape or the travelogue. Prior exposure to the travelogue resulted in greater sexual arousal than did the videotape producing depression and anger. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential effects of sympathetic activation on sexual arousal in sexually dysfunctional and functional women.

The effects of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation, induced via acute exercise, on sexual arousal in women was studied. In 2 experimental sessions, 36 women viewed a neutral film followed by an erotic film. In 1 session, the women were exposed to 20 min of intense exercise before viewing the films. Twelve women were sexually functional, 12 experienced significant impairments in sexual desire, and 12 experienced primary or secondary anorgasmia. Acute exercise significantly increased vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA) and vaginal blood volume (VBV) responses to an erotic film among sexually functional women and those with low sexual desire. Among anorgasmic women, exercise significantly decreased VPA but had no effect on VBV responses to an erotic film. Acute exercise had no significant effect on the women's perceptions of sexual arousal. Results suggest that increased SNS arousal may affect physiological sexual responding in women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expectancies, alcohol, and sexual arousal in male social drinkers.

Randomly assigned 40 undergraduate males, all social drinkers, to 1 of 2 expectation conditions in which they were led to believe that the beverage they were administered contained either vodka and tonic or tonic only. For half of the Ss in each expectation condition, the beverage contained vodka; the others drank only tonic. After their drinks, measures of penile tumescence were taken from Ss using a penile strain gauge during 2 erotic films, 1 depicting a heterosexual interaction, the other a male homosexual interaction. Although analyses of variance failed to reveal any effect of alcohol per se, there were significant effects of expectation on penile tumescence during both the heterosexual and homosexual films. Ss who believed that they had consumed an alcoholic beverage manifested significantly greater sexual arousal than those believing they had consumed a nonalcoholic beverage, regardless of the contents of their drinks. Although no consistent effects were observed on additional measures of sexual arousal, including the TAT, the Word Association Test, and forehead skin temperature, there was a significant positive correlation between self-report measures of sexual arousal and penile tumescence. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Associative responses to double entendre words as a function of repression-sensitization and sexual stimulation.

Administered the Repression-Sensitization scale to 60 male undergraduates. 1/2 the repressors and 1/2 the sensitizers were then given a word association test after exposure to written materials designed to be sexually stimulating. Controls were given only the word association test. Results indicate that (a) sexual arousal led to an increment in sexual responses primarily for sensitizers; (b) sensitizers gave more sexual associations than repressors, with the effect being more marked under sexual arousal conditions; and (c) sexual stimulation produced a decrement in the speed with which sensitizers give discrete associations to asexual stimulus words. The independent variables had no effects on the speed with which associations were given to double entendre sexual words. Results are interpreted as generally consistent with prior data and theory concerning repression-sensitization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pain sensitivity and individual differences in self-reported sexual behavior.

The relationship between sexual behavior and pain sensitivity was assessed in 27 heterosexual men and 20 heterosexual women. Sexual behavior measures included sexual motivation and ratings of subjective sexual arousal to and enjoyment of an auditory stimulus. Pain sensitivity measures were pain threshold and pain tolerance in a cold pressor task. Participants were tested after exposure to a neutral or a sexual audio stimulus. Exposure to the sexual stimulus increased pain sensitivity in women but not in men. However, sexual behavior measures were correlated with pain threshold for both men and women. Specifically, higher pain thresholds were associated with weaker sexual motivation, lower enjoyment potential for sexual interaction, and increased inhibition during intercourse. These results are consistent with findings in laboratory animals, suggesting that differences in sexual behavior may reflect differences in responsiveness to a variety of stimuli. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factors associated with sexual behavior problems in young sexually abused children

OBJECTIVE: To identify variables associated with the presence of sexual behavior problems in young sexually abused children. METHOD: Data were gathered from the clinical records of 100 sexually abused boys and girls ages 3-7 years enrolled in two treatment programs. Information was coded systematically on approximately 350 areas related to the child and family's history and functioning, the sexual abuse experience, and treatment outcome. The children were grouped and compared according to their presenting sexual behavior into three categories: (1) developmentally "expected"; (2) "sexualized/self-focused"; and (3) problematic "interpersonal" sexual behavior. RESULTS: Bivariate and multivariate analyses highlighted five variables which were predictive of sexual behavior problems among sexually abused children. Sexual arousal of the child during his/her sexual abuse, the perpetrator's use of sadism, and a history of physical and emotional abuse differentiated between those children with and without "interpersonal" sexual behavior problems. Who the child blamed for his/her sexual abuse further contributed to the distinction between children whose sexual behavior was exclusively "self-focused" (sexualized) versus "interpersonal." CONCLUSIONS: The five major predictor variables, as well as other variables identified in this study, have potential utility in assessing child risk for negative outcomes and determining referral priorities for sexual abuse treatment. Given that sexual arousal and who the child blames for the abuse are prominent variables associated with sexual problems and self-blame, clinicians will need to ensure that sexually abused children and their caregivers are given specific opportunities to deal with these areas in the supportive context of treatment. Children with sexual behavior problems differ not only in the type and level of sexual behavior they exhibit but in most other areas as well, suggesting a need for differential assessment and individualized treatment approaches.     

Affect intensity and cardiac arousal.

Investigated in 3 experiments the relationships between affect intensity and basal, evoked, and perceived cardiac arousal. Affect intensity was assessed using R. J. Larsen and E. Diener's (1987) Affect Intensity Measure (AIM). Cardiac arousal was evoked with exercise in the 1st study and with mental arithmetic in the 2nd and 3rd. Perceived cardiac arousal was measured under optimal conditions using a standard heartbeat discrimination procedure. Women as a group scored higher on the AIM. Affect intensity was unrelated to basal or evoked cardiac arousal and was negatively related to perceived cardiac arousal in all 3 studies. Data suggest that affect intensity, although unrelated to actual physiological arousal, is negatively related to the accuracy with which individuals perceive their own arousal. Results are discussed within the context of an expanded arousal-regulation model (J. Blascovich, 1990). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual arousal to rape and consenting depictions: The importance of the woman's arousal.

143 male and female undergraduates were randomly assigned to read 1 of 8 versions of an erotic passage. The independent variables in the stories were nonconsent vs consent, woman's arousal vs disgust, and woman's pain vs no pain. Sex of S was the 4th independent variable. Data indicate that both in terms of experimentally manipulated variables and individual within-cell perceptual differences, the outcome dimension (arousal vs disgust) was the only variable that significantly affected Ss' sexual arousal. Portrayals that depicted the woman as experiencing sexual arousal, irrespective of whether they portrayed rape or consenting interactions, were reported by Ss to be more sexually stimulating than those depicting disgust. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influences of sexual sensation seeking, alcohol consumption, and sexual arousal on women's behavioral intentions related to having unprotected sex.

This experimental study examined effects of alcohol consumption and sexual sensation seeking on unprotected sex intentions, taking into account sexual arousal, indirectly discouraging sex, and condom insistence. Women (N = 173; mean age = 25.02) were randomly assigned to a control, placebo, low-dose beverage (target blood alcohol level = .04), or high- dose beverage (target blood alcohol level = .08) condition. Participants projected themselves into a hypothetical sexual interaction with a man in which no condom was available. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that both sexual sensation seeking and alcohol dose directly increased sexual arousal early in the interaction, but later sexual arousal indirectly increased unprotected sex intentions by decreasing endorsement of indirect discouragement and, in turn, condom insistence. These findings help to clarify the role of alcohol consumption and sensation seeking in women's sexual decision making and point to the importance of examining it as a multistage process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expectancies, alcohol, and sexual arousal in women.

A total of 40 university female volunteers, all social drinkers aged 18–35 yrs, were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 expectancy conditions in which they were led to believe that the beverage they were administered contained either vodka and tonic or tonic only. For half the Ss in each expectancy condition, the beverage actually contained vodka; for the other half, tonic only. After their drinks, measures of vaginal pressure pulse obtained with a vaginal photoplethysmograph were recorded during a nonerotic control film and 2 erotic films depicting a heterosexual or a homosexual interaction. The 2 groups that received alcohol, regardless of whether they believed that their drinks contained alcohol, showed significantly reduced sexual arousal during both erotic films. No effects of expectancy or an interaction between alcohol and expectancy were obtained. Ss' subjective estimates of intoxication were significantly correlated with their self-report of sexual arousal during both erotic films. The differences between these results and previous findings using similar procedures with male social drinkers are discussed. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Selective listening asymmetry in preschool children.

42 right-handed preschoolers listened to dichotic presentations of digit names in 2 experimental sessions. Ss were told to report only the digit arriving at the designated ear; the target ear was designated prior to the dichotic presentation in one session (precuing condition) and after the presentation in the other session (postcuing condition). A significant right-ear superiority was found for all 3 dependent variables: number of correct identifications, total number of digits reported from each ear, and number of intrusion errors. Thus, the procedure demonstrated a marked asymmetry and, therefore, left lateralization of verbal processing in children as young as 3 yrs of age. Since the magnitude of asymmetry was as great in the precuing condition as in the postcuing condition, input factors (perceptual or attentional factors) are sufficient to account for the right-ear superiority. There was no age difference in degree of right-ear advantage. Correlations between asymmetry scores in the 2 sessions ranged between .60 and .68 for the 3 dependent variables. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Employee reactions to contextual and session components of performance appraisal.

A neglected area of performance appraisal research concerns the context within which the appraisal process occurs. For a sample of exempt employees, measures were developed that assessed system components of the appraisal context. The contribution of these variables (complexity, implementation, and follow-up) to the prediction of 2 measures of employee reactions to performance appraisal (review session satisfaction and appraisal system satisfaction) was compared with the contribution of a more frequently studied set of variables—supervisory behaviors in the review session. The relationship of a salary linkage variable to the 2 outcome criteria also was assessed. The supervisory session variables were related to session satisfaction, and the system contextual variables were primarily related to system satisfaction. Salary linkage was associated with system satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Premature ejaculation: Investigation of factors in ejaculatory latency.

Data from 10 premature ejaculators (mean age 34.4 yrs) and 14 normal males (mean age 31.8 yrs) were gathered utilizing psychophysiological and self-report measures. Sexual arousal was induced through a tape-recorded erotic story, erotic slides, and sexual fantasy. At no point did premature ejaculators and normal Ss differ in penile responding or in subjective report or arousal. Groups were not significantly different in their rates of sexual arousal, the absolute amount of sexual arousal shown, nor in the number of sexual situations to which they responded. Premature ejaculators, however appeared to ejaculate at a lower level of sexual arousal. Results support the hypotheses that premature ejaculators have longer periods of abstinence from intercourse and ejaculation and that there is an inverse relationship between period of abstinence from intercourse/ejaculation and ejaculation latency. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)