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Heterosexual, Homosexual, and Bisexual Men’s Pupillary Responses to Persons at Different Stages of Sexual Development

Attard-Johnson, Janice, Bindemann, Markus, Ó Ciardha, Caoilte (2016) Heterosexual, Homosexual, and Bisexual Men’s Pupillary Responses to Persons at Different Stages of Sexual Development. The Journal of Sex Research, 54 (9). pp. 1085-1096. ISSN 0022-4499. E-ISSN 1559-8519. (doi:10.1080/00224499.2016.1241857) (KAR id:58391)

Abstract

This study investigated whether pupil size during the viewing of images of adults and children reflects the sexual orientation of hetero-, homo- and bisexual men (n = 100, Mage = 22). More specifically, we explored whether this measure corresponds with sexual age preferences for adults over children in non-paedophilic men. In general, results across three experiments, in which observers freely viewed or rated the sexual appeal of person images, suggest that pupil dilation to sexual stimuli is an indicator of sexual orientation towards adults. Heterosexual men’s pupils dilated most strongly to adults of the other sex, homosexual men dilated most strongly to adults of the same sex, and bisexual men showed an intermediate pattern. Dilation to adults was substantially stronger than dilation to younger age groups. Sexual appeal ratings for images of adults and children also correlated with pupil responses, suggesting a direct link between pupil dilation and sexual interest. These findings provide support for pupil dilation as a measure of sex- and age-specific sexual preferences.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1080/00224499.2016.1241857
Uncontrolled keywords: pupillary response, eye-tracking, sexual interest, sexual appeal, sexual orientation
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Funders: [37325] UNSPECIFIED
Depositing User: Caoilte O Ciardha
Date Deposited: 04 Nov 2016 18:17 UTC
Last Modified: 04 Mar 2024 17:13 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/58391 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Attard-Johnson, Janice.

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CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Bindemann, Markus.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9608-4186
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Ó Ciardha, Caoilte.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5383-8403
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