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Dimensionality and Transcultural Specificity of the Sexual Attraction Questionnaire (SAQ)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Juan Fernández ,
María Ángeles Quiroga ,
Vanessa J. Icaza  and
Sergio Escorial
Juan Fernández*
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
María Ángeles Quiroga
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
Vanessa J. Icaza
Affiliation:
Universidad Católica de Santa María (Peru)
Sergio Escorial
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Juan Fernández. Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, Facultad de Psicología, Campus de Somosaguas. 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón – Madrid (Spain). E-mail: jfernandez@psi.ucm.es Web page: http://sites.google.com/site/jfsprofile/
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Abstract

Sexual attraction was considered a component of sexual orientation from the beginning of the second half of the 20th century to present times. However, some recent researchers have studied sexual attraction as an independent field measuring it by the Sexual Attraction Questionnaire (SAQ). This study analyzes sexual attraction through the SAQ in 400 university students from a Peruvian catholic university. These participants −191 women and 209 men- show a very diverse curricular background. The following hypotheses were tested: a) the structure of the SAQ, pointing out two concepts: attraction to men and attraction to women; b) the high inverse correlation between these two concepts or factors; c) the specific impact of this context in sexual attraction: higher percentage of attracted by none of the sexes and lower percentage of attracted to the opposite sex, in comparison with other contexts; and d) the Lippa prediction (2006, 2007), regarding a higher polarization of sexual attraction for men than for women. Results support the first three hypotheses. Clarifications are laid down with regard to the fourth one. Discussion focuses on theoretical and applied advantages of using the SAQ as opposed to the frequent use of a single item of sexual attraction for each sex.

La atracción sexual se ha venido considerando, desde el inicio de la segunda parte del siglo XX hasta nuestros días, como un componente más de la orientación sexual. Recientemente, se han realizado algunas investigaciones de la atracción sexual considerada en sí misma. Una de las formas de valorarla ha sido mediante el CAS (Cuestionario de Atracción Sexual). Un grupo de 400 estudiantes universitarios peruanos (191 mujeres y 209 varones), con una gran diversidad curricular, cumplimentó este instrumento. Se han puesto a prueba las siguientes hipótesis: a) la estructura del instrumento, materializando dos conceptos: la atracción hacia varones y la atracción hacia mujeres, b) la existencia de una relación inversa alta entre estos dos constructos o factores; c) la incidencia diferencial de este contexto en las frecuencias con que se manifiestan algunos tipos de atracción sexual: mayor porcentaje de los no atraídos por ningún sexo y menor de los atraídos por el otro sexo, en comparación con otros contextos; y d) la predicción de Lippa (2006, 2007) de la mayor polarización de la atracción sexual en los varones que en las mujeres. Los resultados suponen un apoyo a las hipótesis planteadas, aunque se establecen determinadas matizaciones con respecto a la cuarta. Por último se discuten las ventajas, tanto teóricas como aplicadas, de la utilización de un instrumento como el CAS frente al uso, tan frecuente, de un único ítem de atracción sexual para cada sexo.

Keywords

sexual attraction typologysexual orientationdimensionalitycontextspolarizationtipología de la atracción sexualorientación sexualdimensionalidadcontextopolarización
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 15 , Issue 1 , March 2012 , pp. 323 - 333
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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