The Relationship Among Sexual Attitudes, Sexual Fantasy, and Religiosity

Abstract

Recent research on the impact of religiosity on sexuality has highlighted the role of the individual, and suggests that the effects of religious group and sexual attitudes and fantasy may be mediated through individual differences in spirituality. The present study investigated the role of religion in an ethnically diverse young adult sample (N = 1413, 69% women) using religious group as well as several religiosity domains: spirituality, intrinsic religiosity, paranormal beliefs, and fundamentalism. Differences between religious groups in conservative sexual attitudes were statistically significant but small; as predicted, spirituality mediated these effects. In contrast to the weak effects of religious group, spirituality, intrinsic religiosity, and fundamentalism were strong predictors of women’s conservative sexual attitudes; for men, intrinsic religiosity predicted sexual attitude conservatism but spirituality predicted attitudinal liberalism. For women, both religious group and religiosity domains were significant predictors of frequency of sexual fantasies while, for men, only religiosity domains were significant predictors. These results indicate that individual differences in religiosity domains were better predictors of sexual attitudes and fantasy than religious group and that these associations are moderated by gender.

Sexual Dysfunctional Beliefs of Romanian Women (Mothers and Daughters): An Intergenerational Approach

“…These results are in accordance with literature (Reiss, 1967, Ahrold, Farmer, Trapnell, & Meston, 2011, Brelsford, Luquis, & Murray-Swank, 2011, where religiosity was found to be associated with more conservative sexual attitudes.…”

Individual Differences in Reproductive Strategy are Related to Views about Recreational Drug Use in Belgium, The Netherlands, and Japan

“…Importantly, the suggested mechanism causing this relationship is that moral views are transferred from a social network to the focal individual, and these moral views then shape the individual's behavior (see also Adamczyk & Palmer, 2008). Similar proposals have been made to explain variation in sexual attitudes: In the U.S., increased church attendance and being a member of a more conservative denomination are related to morally conservative sexual views, arguably because religious social networks preach conservative sexual views (Adamczyk & Pitt, 2009;Ahrold, Farmer, Trapnell, & Meston, 2011;Cochran & Beeghley, 1991;Petersen & Donnenwerth, 1997). Thus, the background assumption of these studies is that religious commitment, for example if it embeds one in a religious social network, shapes moral views towards drugs and sex, which in their turn shape behavior.…”

The Impact of Religious Commitment on Women’s Sexual Self-Esteem

“…Zaleski and Schiaffino (2000) found adolescents with high religious identification who were sexually active reported less frequent condom use. Ahrold et al (2011) found similar negative attitudes toward condom use in those who were fundamentally religious. Lefkowitz et al (2004) found decreased sexual activity among emerging adults with higher levels of religiosity.…”

“…Rowatt and Schmitt (2003) found that individuals with intrinsic religious motivation, those who internalize religious teachings and values, were more sexually restricted and desired less sexual variety than those with extrinsic religious motivation, those who engage in religious activities in order to gain benefits such as community but adhere minimally to religious teachings. Intrinsically religious and fundamentally religious women also report lower frequency of sexual fantasy (Ahrold et al 2011). In a study of sexual fantasy experiences among conservative Christians, participants reported their behavior as morally unacceptable and engaging in sexual fantasizing provoked guilt and anxiety (Gil 1990).…”