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Truth and consequences: using the bogus pipeline to examine sex differences in self-reported sexuality

Journal of Sex Research, Feb, 2003 by Michele G. Alexander, Terri D. Fisher

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On average, the 50 participants who responded to questions about the bogus pipeline rated it as fairly accurate in measuring true attitudes and feelings (M = 3.7, SD = 0.9) and as somewhat likely to influence their responses (M = 2.4, SD = 1.4) and to pressure them to be honest (M = 2.6, SD = 1.4). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) done with these three items revealed no significant effects for condition or participant sex and no significant interactions, Fs < 1. Taken together, these manipulation checks indicate that the bogus pipeline encouraged honest responding by participants.

Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors

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To ensure that the counterbalancing procedure controlled for potential effects of experimenter sex and task order, we first analyzed participants' responses using a series of 2 (Participant Sex) X 3 (Testing Condition) X 2 (Experimenter Sex) X 2 (Order of Survey/Video Presentation) between-subjects ANOVAs. Experimenter sex and task order did not affect responses; thus further discussion of the results are restricted to 2 (Participant Sex) X 3 (Testing Condition) ANOVAs. The response means for sexual attitudes and experiences are presented in Table 1.

Sexual attitudes. For the Sexual Opinion Survey, the ANOVA yielded a significant main effect for participant sex with a moderate effect size, F(1, 194) = 10.69, p = .001, [[eta].sup.2] = .052, with men (M = 71.7, SD = 21.1) reporting greater erotophilia than women (M = 60.0, SD = 23.8). There was also a main effect for testing condition, F(2, 194) = 3.37, p = .036, [[eta].sup.2] = .034, with participants in the bogus pipeline condition (M = 71.2, SD = 22.6) reporting more erotophilic attitudes than participants in the exposure threat condition (M = 60.9, SD = 21.8). No significant interaction between participant sex and testing condition emerged (F < 1). The 2 X 3 ANOVA for scores on the Attitudes Toward Sexuality Scale revealed no significan effects (Fs < 2).

Sexual experience and behavior. The 2 X 3 ANOVA on the overall score of the sexual experiences scale yielded no significant effects, Fs < 2. Results on the composite score of gender-role-relevant sexual behaviors (i.e., masturbation, exposure to hardcore and softcore erotica) yielded a significant interaction between participant sex and testing condition, F(2, 192) = 3.2, p = .04, [[eta].sup.2] = .032. Planned comparisons revealed that although there were significant sex differences (with men scoring higher) in all three conditions, the differences were much larger in the exposure threat condition, F(1, 86) = 49.33, p < .001, [[eta].sup.2] = .365, than in the anonymous condition, F(1,58) = 13.46, p = .001, [[eta].sup.2]= .188, or the pipeline condition, F(1, 49) = 4.96, p = .03, [[eta].sup.2] = .094. An analysis of simple effects further indicated no significant differences among the men as a function of testing condition, Fs < 2. Among the women, however, those in the pipeline condition, F(1, 68) = 21.16, p < .01, and in the anonymous condition, F(1, 78) = 8.23, p < .01, reported engaging in significantly more of these behaviors than did those in the exposure threat condition (see Figure 1).

Health Care Industry

Truth and consequences: using the bogus pipeline to examine sex differences in self-reported sexuality

Journal of Sex Research, Feb, 2003 by Michele G. Alexander, Terri D. Fisher

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