ERIC Number: ED637826
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 162
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3800-9018-6
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Effects of Sexual Arousal on Monetary and Sexual Decision-Making in College Men
Brittney M. Holcomb
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Idaho State University
Sexual arousal is associated with increases in a variety of impulsive choices, such as engaging in unprotected sex, having sex with strangers, and more frequent sexual activity. Little is known about sexual arousal's association with impulsive choice for domain-specific outcomes using a laboratory measure of impulsive choice. This study investigated sexual arousal's impact on delay discounting--which measures impulsive behavioral choice--for both monetary and sexual outcomes. Participants (N=70) were assigned randomly to one of two video groups (erotic or control) and completed delay discounting tasks for either money or sexual activity. Repeated-measures ANCOVA tested the first hypothesis and found a domain-specific effect of video group on discounting task, when controlling for sexual risk taking, such that watching an erotic video (as compared to a neutral video) was associated with significantly more impulsive (i.e., more discounted) decision-making for sexual activity but not money (F(1,32)=14.071, p<0.01, partial [eta superscript 2] =0.305) using k as an estimate of discounting rate. Repeated-measures ANOVA found the same effect using Area Under the Curve (AUC) to measure discounting rate (F(1,33)=7.038, p<0.05, partial [eta superscript 2]=0.305). A simple mediation model could not be properly analyzed to test the second hypothesis due to significant multicollinearity between the independent variable, video group, and the mediator, sexual arousal. However, sexual arousal better accounted for variance in sexual activity discounting scores using k and AUC, compared to video group. Sexual arousal, elicited in this case by viewing erotica, appears to have a domain-specific effect on college men's impulsivity for sexual decisions, rather than a more general impact on behavioral choice. This proclivity to make short-sighted sexual decisions under sexually aroused conditions may be associated with negative health outcomes. Future studies should extend these findings to diverse samples in more ecologically valid settings using a range of outcomes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Sexuality, Males, College Students, Risk, Health Behavior, Video Technology, Conceptual Tempo, Money Management, Comparative Analysis, Correlation, Decision Making
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A