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Published in: Annals of General Psychiatry 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Primary research

Personality traits, gender roles and sexual behaviours of young adult males

Authors: Jacek Kurpisz, Monika Mak, Michał Lew-Starowicz, Krzysztof Nowosielski, Przemysław Bieńkowski, Robert Kowalczyk, Błażej Misiak, Dorota Frydecka, Jerzy Samochowiec

Published in: Annals of General Psychiatry | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

Previous studies have shown that personality characteristics affect sexual functioning. The aim of this exploratory study was to assess and describe the relationship between global personality traits and the stereotypical femininity and masculinity levels with the broad aspects of sexual behaviours and attitudes in the group of 97 heterosexual young adult men aged 19–39 and living in Poland.

Methods

The ‘Big Five’ personality traits were measured with the NEO-FFI questionnaire; stereotypical femininity and masculinity with the Bem sex role inventory (BSRI); sexual disorders with the International index of erectile function (IIEF); socio-epidemiological data, sexual behaviours and attitudes towards sexuality with a self-constructed questionnaire.

Results

We identified weak to moderate associations with particular sexual behaviours and attitudes. Neuroticism correlated positively with lower sexual satisfaction, self-acceptance and more negative attitudes towards sexuality; extraversion with higher desire, frequency of sexual intercourses, their diversity, sexual satisfaction, masculinity level and lower report of erectile problems; openness to experience with better quality of partnership, more positive attitudes towards sexual activity and masculinity level; conscientiousness with later sexual initiation age, more frequent and diverse sexual behaviours (but lower interest in masturbation and coitus interruptus), overall sexual satisfaction, satisfaction with one’s body and femininity level; agreeableness with a better quality of relationship with a partner, satisfaction from body, lower number of previous partners and more frequent sexual encounters (but less masturbation). Stereotypical masculinity, more so than femininity, was related to a wide range of positive aspects of sexuality.

Conclusions

The Big Five personality traits and stereotypical femininity/masculinity dimensions were found to have a noticeable, but weak to moderate influence on sexual behaviour in young adult males.
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Metadata
Title
Personality traits, gender roles and sexual behaviours of young adult males
Authors
Jacek Kurpisz
Monika Mak
Michał Lew-Starowicz
Krzysztof Nowosielski
Przemysław Bieńkowski
Robert Kowalczyk
Błażej Misiak
Dorota Frydecka
Jerzy Samochowiec
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Annals of General Psychiatry / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1744-859X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12991-016-0114-2

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