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The Female Sensation Seeker and Marital Sexuality Carol Apt & David Farley Hurlbert Published online: 14 Jan 2008.
To cite this article: Carol Apt & David Farley Hurlbert (1992) The Female Sensation Seeker and Marital Sexuality, Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 18:4, 315-324, DOI: 10.1080/00926239208412856 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00926239208412856
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The Female Sensation Seeker and Marital Sexuality
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C A R O L A P T and DAVID FARLEY H U R L B E R T
T o examine the role of sensation seeking infemale sexuality, the Zuckerman%Sensation Seeking Scale was administered to a nonclinical population of married women. Comparative assessments were made between two matched samples of high and low sensation seekers on frequency of sexual intercourse, marital satisfaction, sexual desire, sewal arousal, sexual assertiveness, sexual attitudes, and sexual satisfaction. Although the high sensation seekers demonstrated significantly greater sexual desire, sexual arousability, and a more positive attitude toward sex, there were surprisingly no differences between the groups on frequency of sexual intercourse and sexuul assertiveness. Also, the women classed as low sensation seekers reported greater marital and sexual satisfaction. According to Zuckerman,’ the sensation seeker is a person who possesses a trait defined by “the need for varied, novel, and complex sensations and the willingness to take physical and social risks for the sake of such experiences” (p. 10). In order to maintain interest in a person or situation, high sensation seekers require a steady stream of new and stimulating experiences. They have a lower tolerance for boredom, as compared to low sensation seekers, and will tire quickly of anything, or anyone, that is repetitive or predictable.‘ High sensation seekers will often value a new experience for its own sake and frequently report having participated in a greater variety of sexual experiences with a greater number of partners than low sensation seekers3 As sensation seeking is positively correlated with autonomy and the need for change, and negatively correlated with deference and nurturance,‘ it is considered to be a stereotypically masculine trait.4 Therefore, in a traditional marriage, a high level of sensation seeking on the part of the female is not considered to be conducive to a harmonious relationship, as it may conflict with the more stereotypical expectations placed upon her.5 In such a relationship, the expectation is that the male will be the authority figure and the female will follow his lead, that he will take Address all correspondence to Carol Apt, ABD. MA, BCSE. at 3528 Merrick Drive, Suite 2 3 6 8 , Lexington. KY 40502. David Farley Hurlbert, MSW, CSW-ACP, is a Captain in the US Army.
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the sexual initiative a n d she will respond accordingly, a n d that he requires more sexual variety than she does. When a female exhibits these qualities, she is subject to censure, as she is behaving in a gender-inappropriate fashion. Sensation seeking, therefore, is a n important component o f both marital adjustment a n d marital satisfaction. T h e r e are a number of plausible explanations as to why a female sensation-seeker would pose a greater threat to marital satisfaction than would a male sensation-seeker. A woman who takes the lead in sexual matters is usurping her husband’s authority and is upsetting the power balance of-the relationship. T h e sexual arena has long been the purview o f the male, and the intrusion of the female into this domain may not be appreciated by a traditional husband. This appears consistent with the research of Murnstein and Williams,6 who found that women who behave in stereotypically masculine ways have lower marital adjustment. A sensation-seeking female who is bored with her husband may find, because of cultural proscriptions, fewer opportunities outside of the marriage to indulge her desire for novel experiences than would a sensation-seeking male who is similarly bored.3 H e r husband may be less willing to work out compromises, and she may be forced to internalize her frustration and boredom. An investigation into correlations between female sensation seeking and various aspects of a marital relationship is germane for several reasons. T h e choice o f a spouse is, in part, a function of the similarities between the partners. Partner similarity in sensation-seeking is not only ’ - ~ it is also related to the quality related to the choice of a s p o ~ s e , ~ . but o f the marriage.* Within the marital union, spouses who exhibit similar degrees of sensation seeking experience greater communication, understanding, a n d empathy.8 Its role in interpersonal interactions a n d o n marital adjustment has been well d o c ~ m e n t e d . ~ . ’ sBecause ~ * ’ ~ sensation seeking as a trait reflects basic values, when spouses differ from one another o n their degrees of sensation seeking, it could produce conflicts in many other areas of the marriage, such as child-rearing, the choice of leisure activities, methods of conflict resolution, and sexual behavior.2*8*” As with many personality characteristics, sensation seeking is likely to be labeled differently in males than in females. A correlation between female sensation seeking a n d marital adjustmenta and a tendency for this trait to be more readily labeled as deviant in females than in males2 have been reported in the literature. Specifically, Gibson et found that when husbands and wives differ o n their degrees of sensation seeking, a high level of sensation seeking in females is negatively correlated with marital satisfaction, regardless of the husbands’ level o f sensation seeking. Therefore, it was the intention of this study to investigate sensation seeking among married women because of its documented relation not only to marital sexuality, but also to the wider arena of marital satisfaction. We were specifically interested in determining the impact of female sensation seeking o n various aspects of marital sexuality. We also wanted to provide further evidence that this trait in females does, in fact, correlate with sexual satisfaction as well as with marital satisfaction.
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METHOD
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Participants
A sample pool of 96 married women was obtained from a volunteer signu p roster soliciting participation in a confidential marriage and sexual behavior survey. T h e roster was managed through the Reynolds House, an Army Community Support Center for military wives at Fort Hood, Texas. It should be noted that this sample was obtained from a nonclinical population, none of whom were specifically seeking sexual treatment and none of whom perceived this state of affairs to be problematic. All women were given the Sensation Seeking Scale, Form V. ' * I 2 Women were then classed as high or low sensation seekers if they fell above or below the mean on the SSS according to their respective gender and age group.'* This procedure resulted in two samples. Of the 96 women, 38 (39.6%)were found to be high sensation seekers. T h e remaining women were then stratified and equivalently matched in numbers according to race and employment status to the high sensation seekers. Age, education, length of marriage, number of children, and religion were matched as closely as possible. Simple random sampling was employed to select an independent sample of low sensation seekers from each stratum. Therefore, the total study population consisted of two matched samples, each representing 38 women. Measurements
In addition to the SSS discussed above, all the women were asked to complete a written questionnaire battery, which included demographic information and the following seven measures: Frequency of Sexual Intercourse. This information was obtained by asking each participant to estimate the number of times she participates in this behavior with her spouse in a usual week or seven-day period. Marital Sutisfaction. This variable was measured by the Index of Marital Satisfaction (IMS) developed by Hudson.I3 This index does not characterize the marriage as a unitary entity, but evaluates the extent to which one spouse perceives problems in the relationship. I t should be noted that this instrument does not measure marital adjustment, since a couple may have established good adjustment despite having a high level of dissatisfaction. Scores 2 30 indicate clinically significant marital dissatisfaction. This index has demonstrated an alpha reliability of .96 and good face, construct, and content validity across various samples in fifteen c ~ u n t r i e s . ' ~In * ' the ~ current sample, this instrument produced an internal consistency alpha of .82.15 Sexual Desire. T h e Hurlbert Index of Sexual Desire (HISD) was used for its simplicity as a general measure of sexual desire.''?" Scores range from 0 (hyposexual desire) to 100 (hypersexual desire). This index has demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability ( r = 3 6 across two weeks), high internal consistency reliability (alpha = .89), and good construct
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and concurrent ~a1idity.I~ In the current study, this index produced a Cronbach alpha of 3 4 . Sexual Arousal. T h e Sexual Arousability Inventory (SAI), 28-item expanded version, was used as a measure of female sexual arousal.lR In this inventory, descriptions of sexual activities are rated o n a 7-point Likert scale of ( - 1) adversely affects sexual arousal to ( + 5) always causes sexual arousal. Split-half reliability of this scale has been reported to be .92 and an 8-week test-retest correlation of .69." In the present study, this scale produced a Chronbach alpha of .88. Sexual Asserlzveness. T h e Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness (€1 ISA) was employed to examine the degree of female sexual assertiveness used in the marriages under investigation in this study.'6~*"Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater sexual assertiveness. T h e original alpha reliability for this instrument was .91 and also demonstrated quite good discriminant, concurrent, and construct validity.20.*'This index evidenced an internal consistency alpha of .84 with the current sample. Sexuul Attitudes. T h e Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS), developed by Fisher, Byrne, and White,** was used to assess the extent to which individuals have negative (erotophobic) to positive (erotophilic) attitudes toward sexuality. Scores range from 0 to 126, with higher scores indicating greater erotophilia. This scale has demonstrated good internal consistency (alpha range .SO to .go), test-retest reliability ( 3 0 to .85 across two months), and concurrent and discriminant validity in more than a decade of' research with various In the present study, the Cronbach alpha of internal consistency was assessed o n this measure at .8 1. Sexuul Salk action. T h e Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS), developed by Hudson,I'was used to measure the extent of sexual satisfaction. This measure evaluates the subject's feelings about a number of behaviors, attitudes, and preferences that are associated with the sexual relationship between partners. This index has evidenced excellent test-retest reliability (.94 across two hours), and good concurrent, face, and construct validity across various samples and culture^.'".'^ In the present study, this index demonstrated a n internal consistency of .82. Procedures
One-hundred percent of the women who signed-up volunteered to participate. Each woman signed an informed consent statement and agreed to participate in this research project. In an effort to insure privacy, encourage honesty, and eliminate influence, the data in this study did not use names and consisted of confidential written responses to the q u est i on n a i re bat t cry.
RESULTS Alpha was established in this study at .05 to determine level of signiticance. As shown in 'Table I , with the exception of religion, both groups
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TABLE 1 Sample Characteristics
Total N = 76 ~
High Sensation Seekers N = 38
~~
M
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Variable Age Education Years of Marriage Number of Children
Low Sensation Seekers N = 38
* SD
M
25.34 '. 3.280 13.60 '. 1.278 2.56 2 1.782 0.98 2 0.981
26.03 13.80 3.06 1.04
%
?
2 2
*
SD 3.173 1.385 1.093 1.023
N
%
N
Race White White Hispanic
20 11 7
52.6 29.0 18.4
20 11 7
52.6 29.0 18.4
Religion Catholic Protestant Jewish None
11 24 1 2
29.0 63.1 2.6 5.3
07 21 0 9
18.4 55.3 0 23.7
Employment Status 40 hours or more weekly less than 40 hours weekly Not Employed
10 I 27
26.3 2.6 71.1
10
26.3 2.6 71.1
1
27
%I
Note: One low sensation seeker left her religious preference unmarked. Therefore, the total under religion for low sensation seekers is not equal to 100%.
were equivalently matched and no significant differences were discovered between the two groups in demographic analysis. T h e groups were, however, significantly different in sensation seeking as measured by the SSS ( t = 9.141, df = 74, p < .OOO). Two-tailed t-tests were then performed on all seven measures to test the quality of means between the two groups. Table 2 illustrates the means and standard deviations of all seven measures between the t w o groups. Since level of significance applies to each measure individually, analyses of variance (ANOVAS) were used where parametric tests were appropriate to determine any principle interactions between variables. Pearson's r was computed to determine any correlations between the individual measures and subject's age, education, length of marriage, and number of children. When two-tailed t-tests were computed, five of the seven measures demonstrated significant differences. T h e high sensation-seeking women evidenced greater sexual desire ( t = 3.409, df = 74, p < . O l ) , sexual
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TABLE 2
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Means a n d Standard Deviations of Measurements Low Sensation
Measures
High Sensation Seekers MeSD
Frequency of Intercourse Marital Dissatisfaction Sexual Desire Sexual Arousability Scxual Assertiveness Sexual Attitudes Sexual Dissatisfaction
2.6802 1.046 17.5792 4.774 63.92 I 2 8.922 88.53 I 3- 15.821 69.0602 7.410 69.0262 12.576 25.0532 8.612
2.5002 1.576 15.0262 5.943 58.4472 9.074 77.4062 12.969 67.9602 8.179 65.18421 1.542 18.026* 7.720
Seekers MtSD
Nole: liigher scores correspond t o greater item agreement or greater frequency of Occurrence
arousability ( t = 4.552, df = 74, p < .001), and a more positive or erotophilic attitude toward sexuality (1 = 2.806, df = 74, p < .01) than did the low sensation-seeking women. Despite these findings, the low sensation seekers scored lower o n the Index of Marital Satisfaction (t = -2.064, df = 74, p = .04) a n d t h e Index of Sexual Satisfaction, ( t = -3.745, df = 74, p < . O l ) , indicating that t h e low sensation-seeking women demonstrated significantly higher marital and sexual satisfaction in their marriages than did the high sensation-seeking women. Surprisingly, there were n o differences between the groups in frequency of sexual intercourse ( t = .945, df = 74, p = ns) a n d sexual assertiveness (1 = 1.134, df = 74, p = ns). N o significant interactions were discovered using ANOVA methods to examine each of the five measures for race, religion, and employment status, indicating that these variables act separately. Only one significant relationship was found by calculating Pearson’s r between the five measures a n d the subject’s age, education, length of marriage, number of children, a n d household income. Although age was found to be negatively correlated with sensation seeking ( r = - .22, p < .05), there were no significant age differences between the two groups ( t = - .892, df = 74, p = ns)
DISCUSSION T h e findings that the high sensation-seeking females in this study expressed higher sexual desire, greater sexual arousability , a n d had more positive or erotophilic attitudes toward sex are not surprising. As indicated in Table 3, these three measures are highly correlated with one another, in that when one has a positive attitude toward sex, o n e is more likely to have an active desire for sex a n d to be readily aroused. It is also logical to hypothesize that these women came to their respective marriages with these attitudes a n d tendencies already established, since high
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TABLE 3 Correlational Matrix of Measures M-2 M- 1
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M-2 M-3 M-4 M-5 M-6
- .332* -
-
M-3 .273* - .lo4
-
-
-
M-4 .lo1 -.183 .405* -
M-5 .203 - .308* .256* .237* -
-
M-6 .lo6 .089 .327* .288*
.274*
-
M-7 ,172 .192
-.zw -.347* -.241* - .362*
Nofe: M-1 = frequency of sexual intercourse; M-2 = marital satisfaction; M-3 = sexual desire; M 4 = sexual arousal; M-5 = sexual assertiveness; M-6 = sexual attitudes; and M-7 = sexual satisfaction. Lower scores on M-2and M-7 indicate greater satisfaction. *p < .05
sensation seekers are known to report having a variety of sexual experie n c e ~ Whether .~ these tendencies a r e allowed free expression in their present marriages is a matter of conjecture. What is surprising is that the high sensation seekers do not engage in sexual intercourse more frequently than their low sensation-seeking counterparts. T h e actual number of times per week that a woman engages in sexual intercourse may be a function of many factors, only one of which may be her desire to do so. A desire to engage in a particular activity is not a reliable indicator of the likelihood that the individual may actually carry out this behavior. This seeming paradox is also related to the finding that the high sensation seekers are not more sexually assertive than the low sensation seekers. T h e tendency to want sex is strongly related to the likely outcome of a sexual overture. If a woman is in an unsatisfying marriage, with a husband who bores her in bed, she is less likely to initiate sex because she knows what is going to happen. I t is possible that sex has become routine and predictable, and a sexual overture on her part will only result in an encounter that she has already defined as less than exciting. Her level of sexual assertiveness may, in fact, actually reflect her feelings toward her husband rather than her feelings about sex. T h e fact that she desires sex, but does not engage in it with any greater frequency, may be a comment o n her marriage and on her husband, rather than o n herself or o n her interest in sex per se. It is also possible that the husband has difficulty keeping u p with his wife’s sexual demands and communicates this dissatisfaction to her in subtle ways that would, in turn, influence the wife’s likelihood of initiating sex. It is also feasible that the husband is employing some form of control over the wife. Perhaps she is being punished for her sexuality by being denied what she wants in the bedroom. Whatever explanation one cares to emphasize, it is still likely that this disparity is more a function of the marital relationship rather than of the woman as an individual. T h e high sensation-seeking women in this study also reported lower marital and sexual satisfaction than did the low sensation-seeking women.
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If an individual likes and desires sex a n d is easily aroused, but does not have a relationship that encourages sexual variety a n d spontaneity, dissatisfaction may be a likely outcome. At this point we would like to caution the reader not to assume that the respondents’ dissatisfaction with their marriages is a result of their sexual dissatisfaction. Since sexual satisfaction is a function of not only the physical activities, but of the partner with whom o n e has sex and of the relationship in which it takes place, marital satisfaction is also a function of many variables, only one of which may be sexual. T h e results of this study indicate that age is negatively correlated with sensation seeking. This finding is consistent with the results obtained by Zuckerman, Eysenck, and Eysenck,’* who hypothesized that this could reflect biological changes associated with aging, or it could be reflective of a tendency toward increased conservatism. It is also possible that over time a high sensation seeker learns to lower her expectations vis-A-vis her husband and her niarriage. While she may not be entirely satisfied, she may no longer be as dissatisfied as she once was. Perhaps the spouses have worked out a compromise that represents a middle ground between her high sensation seeking a n d his repertoire of responses which is at least acceptable to both parties. T h e high sensation seekers a r e not as happy with their marriages as their low sensation-seeking counterparts. This finding may reflect issues that are far broader than just sexual incompatibility. T h e i r sex lives may be indicative o f their marriages, not the other way around. Sensation seeking is not a personality trait unto itself; it is a trait associated with other traits. T h e high sensation seeker is often portrayed in a pejorative sense, as one who cannot sit still for long, who is constantly on the lookout for new experiences, who may vent these tendencies in inappropriate ways, such as drugs or alcohol, a n d who is likely to take risks to achieve these ends. T h e assumption is also made that sensation seekers are likely to act o n their impulses. To describe them in less pejorative terms, sensation seekers are individuals who are independent, active, curious, and open to new experiences. Although they have a low tolerance for tedium, if they a r e presented with a situation that is challenging and interesting, they do not necessarily abandon it in favor of anything new that comes along. In the w o r k arena, such characteristics are often correlated with productivity a n d creativity. Yet the types of work in which these traits are prized represent those fields that are male-dominated, as are traditional marriages. For high sensation seekers, level of marital satisfaction may actually represent their dissatisfaction with male-dominated marriages, in general, a n d with their husbands, in particular. One limitation of this study is its lack of information o n the sensationseeking levels of the husbands, as research has demonstrated that marital satisfaction is lower in marriages where the woman is a high sensation seeker, regardless of the husband’s level of sensation-seeking.* However, the need for further research to examine the role of sensation seeking in the marital and sexual relationships between husbands and wives is indicated.
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Despite this limitation, there were clearly many significant differences between the two groups in this study. This combined with the demographic similarities between the two groups seem to contribute strong evidence for sensation seeking as being the key variable responsible for those differences.
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REFERENCES I . Zuckerman M: Sensation seeking: Beyond fhe optimal level of arowal. Hillsdale, NJ, Erlbaum, 1979. 2. Zuckerman M, Bone R, Neary R, Mangelsdorff D, Brustman B: What is the sensation seeker: Personality trait and experience correlates of the sensation-seeking scale. J C o n d Clin Psychol 39:308-32 1, 1972. 3. Farley FA, Davis SA: Arousal, personality, and assortative mating in marriage.] Sex Mar Ther 3:122-127, 1977. 4. Tobacyk J , Thomas C: Correlations of masculinity and femininity to sensation seeking. Psychol Rep 45:1339-1343, 1980. 5. Rosenzweig JM, Dailey DM: Dyadic adjustment/sexual satisfaction in women and men as a function of psychological sex role self-perception. J Sex Marital Ther 15:42-56, 1989. 6. Murnstein BI, Williams PD: Sex roles and marriage adjustment. Small Group Behau 14177-94, 1983. 7. Farley FA, Mueller CB: Arousal, personality. and assortative mating in marriage: Generalizeability and cross-cultural factors. J Sex Marilal Ther 4:50-53, 1978. 8. Gibson KJ, Franken KE, Rowland GL: Sensation seeking and marital adjustment. J Sex Manlal Ther 15:57-61, 1989. 9. Lesnik-Oberstein M, Cohen L: Cognitive style. sensation seeking and assortative mating.] Per Soc Psych 46:112-117, 1984. 10. Fisher IV, Zuckerman M, Neeb M: Marital compatibility in sensation seeking trait as a factor in marital adjustment.] Sex Marital Ther 7:60-69, 1981. 11. Zuckerman M , Tushup R, Finner S: Sexual attitudes and experience: Attitudes and personality correlates and changes produced by a course in sexuality. J Consul Clin Psych 44~7-19, 1976. 12. Zuckerrnan M , Eysenck S, Eysenck HJ: Sensation seeking in England and America: Cross-cultural, age, and sex comparisons. J Consul Clin Psychol 46: 139-149. 1978. 13. Hudson WW: The clinical mea.suremen1 package. Homewood, IL, Dorsey, 1982. 14. Hudson WW: Development and use of indexes and scales. I n R M Grinnell (ed), Social work research and evaluation. Itasca, 11, Peacock, 1981. 15. Cronbach LJ:Essentials of psychological testing. New York, Harper 1G Row, 1970. 16. Hurlbert DF: Teaching women with sexual desire disorder how to self-stimulate: Issues of assertiveness, self-esteem, and sexual scripts. Paper presented at the United States Army Social Work Practice Conference, Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, May 1988. 17. Apt C, Hurlbert DF: Motherhood and female sexuality beyond one year postpartum: A study of military wives. J Sex Educa Ther 18(2):104-1 14, 1992. 8. Hoon EF, Hoon PW, Wincze JP: An inventory for the measurement of female sexual arousabihty: T h e S.A.I. Arch Sex Behav 5:291-300, 1976. 9. Chambless Dl., Lifshitz JL: Self-reported sexual anxiety and sexual arousal: T h e expanded sexual arousability inventory. ] Sex Res 2O:24 1-254, 1984. 0. Hurlbert DF: T h e role of assertiveness in female sexuality: A comparative study between sexually assertive and sexually nonassertive women. J Sex Marital T h r 17: 183-190, I99 I .
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21. Hurlbert DF, Apt C: Sexual narcissism and the abusive male. J Sex Marital Ther 17:27%292, 199 1. 22. Fisher W A , Byrne D, White L A : Emotional barriers to contraception. In D Byrne, WA Fisher (eds), Adolescerifs, sex, and codraception. Hillsdale, NJ, Lawrence Erlbaum. 23. Fisher W A , Byrne I), White LA, Kelly K: Erotophobia-erotophilia as a dimension of personali1y.J Sex Res 25:123-151, 1988.
Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/usmt20
The Female Sensation Seeker and Marital Sexuality Carol Apt & David Farley Hurlbert Published online: 14 Jan 2008.
To cite this article: Carol Apt & David Farley Hurlbert (1992) The Female Sensation Seeker and Marital Sexuality, Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 18:4, 315-324, DOI: 10.1080/00926239208412856 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00926239208412856
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/termsand-conditions
The Female Sensation Seeker and Marital Sexuality
Downloaded by [Memorial University of Newfoundland] at 11:36 28 January 2015
C A R O L A P T and DAVID FARLEY H U R L B E R T
T o examine the role of sensation seeking infemale sexuality, the Zuckerman%Sensation Seeking Scale was administered to a nonclinical population of married women. Comparative assessments were made between two matched samples of high and low sensation seekers on frequency of sexual intercourse, marital satisfaction, sexual desire, sewal arousal, sexual assertiveness, sexual attitudes, and sexual satisfaction. Although the high sensation seekers demonstrated significantly greater sexual desire, sexual arousability, and a more positive attitude toward sex, there were surprisingly no differences between the groups on frequency of sexual intercourse and sexuul assertiveness. Also, the women classed as low sensation seekers reported greater marital and sexual satisfaction. According to Zuckerman,’ the sensation seeker is a person who possesses a trait defined by “the need for varied, novel, and complex sensations and the willingness to take physical and social risks for the sake of such experiences” (p. 10). In order to maintain interest in a person or situation, high sensation seekers require a steady stream of new and stimulating experiences. They have a lower tolerance for boredom, as compared to low sensation seekers, and will tire quickly of anything, or anyone, that is repetitive or predictable.‘ High sensation seekers will often value a new experience for its own sake and frequently report having participated in a greater variety of sexual experiences with a greater number of partners than low sensation seekers3 As sensation seeking is positively correlated with autonomy and the need for change, and negatively correlated with deference and nurturance,‘ it is considered to be a stereotypically masculine trait.4 Therefore, in a traditional marriage, a high level of sensation seeking on the part of the female is not considered to be conducive to a harmonious relationship, as it may conflict with the more stereotypical expectations placed upon her.5 In such a relationship, the expectation is that the male will be the authority figure and the female will follow his lead, that he will take Address all correspondence to Carol Apt, ABD. MA, BCSE. at 3528 Merrick Drive, Suite 2 3 6 8 , Lexington. KY 40502. David Farley Hurlbert, MSW, CSW-ACP, is a Captain in the US Army.
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the sexual initiative a n d she will respond accordingly, a n d that he requires more sexual variety than she does. When a female exhibits these qualities, she is subject to censure, as she is behaving in a gender-inappropriate fashion. Sensation seeking, therefore, is a n important component o f both marital adjustment a n d marital satisfaction. T h e r e are a number of plausible explanations as to why a female sensation-seeker would pose a greater threat to marital satisfaction than would a male sensation-seeker. A woman who takes the lead in sexual matters is usurping her husband’s authority and is upsetting the power balance of-the relationship. T h e sexual arena has long been the purview o f the male, and the intrusion of the female into this domain may not be appreciated by a traditional husband. This appears consistent with the research of Murnstein and Williams,6 who found that women who behave in stereotypically masculine ways have lower marital adjustment. A sensation-seeking female who is bored with her husband may find, because of cultural proscriptions, fewer opportunities outside of the marriage to indulge her desire for novel experiences than would a sensation-seeking male who is similarly bored.3 H e r husband may be less willing to work out compromises, and she may be forced to internalize her frustration and boredom. An investigation into correlations between female sensation seeking and various aspects of a marital relationship is germane for several reasons. T h e choice o f a spouse is, in part, a function of the similarities between the partners. Partner similarity in sensation-seeking is not only ’ - ~ it is also related to the quality related to the choice of a s p o ~ s e , ~ . but o f the marriage.* Within the marital union, spouses who exhibit similar degrees of sensation seeking experience greater communication, understanding, a n d empathy.8 Its role in interpersonal interactions a n d o n marital adjustment has been well d o c ~ m e n t e d . ~ . ’ sBecause ~ * ’ ~ sensation seeking as a trait reflects basic values, when spouses differ from one another o n their degrees of sensation seeking, it could produce conflicts in many other areas of the marriage, such as child-rearing, the choice of leisure activities, methods of conflict resolution, and sexual behavior.2*8*” As with many personality characteristics, sensation seeking is likely to be labeled differently in males than in females. A correlation between female sensation seeking a n d marital adjustmenta and a tendency for this trait to be more readily labeled as deviant in females than in males2 have been reported in the literature. Specifically, Gibson et found that when husbands and wives differ o n their degrees of sensation seeking, a high level of sensation seeking in females is negatively correlated with marital satisfaction, regardless of the husbands’ level o f sensation seeking. Therefore, it was the intention of this study to investigate sensation seeking among married women because of its documented relation not only to marital sexuality, but also to the wider arena of marital satisfaction. We were specifically interested in determining the impact of female sensation seeking o n various aspects of marital sexuality. We also wanted to provide further evidence that this trait in females does, in fact, correlate with sexual satisfaction as well as with marital satisfaction.
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METHOD
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Participants
A sample pool of 96 married women was obtained from a volunteer signu p roster soliciting participation in a confidential marriage and sexual behavior survey. T h e roster was managed through the Reynolds House, an Army Community Support Center for military wives at Fort Hood, Texas. It should be noted that this sample was obtained from a nonclinical population, none of whom were specifically seeking sexual treatment and none of whom perceived this state of affairs to be problematic. All women were given the Sensation Seeking Scale, Form V. ' * I 2 Women were then classed as high or low sensation seekers if they fell above or below the mean on the SSS according to their respective gender and age group.'* This procedure resulted in two samples. Of the 96 women, 38 (39.6%)were found to be high sensation seekers. T h e remaining women were then stratified and equivalently matched in numbers according to race and employment status to the high sensation seekers. Age, education, length of marriage, number of children, and religion were matched as closely as possible. Simple random sampling was employed to select an independent sample of low sensation seekers from each stratum. Therefore, the total study population consisted of two matched samples, each representing 38 women. Measurements
In addition to the SSS discussed above, all the women were asked to complete a written questionnaire battery, which included demographic information and the following seven measures: Frequency of Sexual Intercourse. This information was obtained by asking each participant to estimate the number of times she participates in this behavior with her spouse in a usual week or seven-day period. Marital Sutisfaction. This variable was measured by the Index of Marital Satisfaction (IMS) developed by Hudson.I3 This index does not characterize the marriage as a unitary entity, but evaluates the extent to which one spouse perceives problems in the relationship. I t should be noted that this instrument does not measure marital adjustment, since a couple may have established good adjustment despite having a high level of dissatisfaction. Scores 2 30 indicate clinically significant marital dissatisfaction. This index has demonstrated an alpha reliability of .96 and good face, construct, and content validity across various samples in fifteen c ~ u n t r i e s . ' ~In * ' the ~ current sample, this instrument produced an internal consistency alpha of .82.15 Sexual Desire. T h e Hurlbert Index of Sexual Desire (HISD) was used for its simplicity as a general measure of sexual desire.''?" Scores range from 0 (hyposexual desire) to 100 (hypersexual desire). This index has demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability ( r = 3 6 across two weeks), high internal consistency reliability (alpha = .89), and good construct
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and concurrent ~a1idity.I~ In the current study, this index produced a Cronbach alpha of 3 4 . Sexual Arousal. T h e Sexual Arousability Inventory (SAI), 28-item expanded version, was used as a measure of female sexual arousal.lR In this inventory, descriptions of sexual activities are rated o n a 7-point Likert scale of ( - 1) adversely affects sexual arousal to ( + 5) always causes sexual arousal. Split-half reliability of this scale has been reported to be .92 and an 8-week test-retest correlation of .69." In the present study, this scale produced a Chronbach alpha of .88. Sexual Asserlzveness. T h e Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness (€1 ISA) was employed to examine the degree of female sexual assertiveness used in the marriages under investigation in this study.'6~*"Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater sexual assertiveness. T h e original alpha reliability for this instrument was .91 and also demonstrated quite good discriminant, concurrent, and construct validity.20.*'This index evidenced an internal consistency alpha of .84 with the current sample. Sexuul Attitudes. T h e Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS), developed by Fisher, Byrne, and White,** was used to assess the extent to which individuals have negative (erotophobic) to positive (erotophilic) attitudes toward sexuality. Scores range from 0 to 126, with higher scores indicating greater erotophilia. This scale has demonstrated good internal consistency (alpha range .SO to .go), test-retest reliability ( 3 0 to .85 across two months), and concurrent and discriminant validity in more than a decade of' research with various In the present study, the Cronbach alpha of internal consistency was assessed o n this measure at .8 1. Sexuul Salk action. T h e Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS), developed by Hudson,I'was used to measure the extent of sexual satisfaction. This measure evaluates the subject's feelings about a number of behaviors, attitudes, and preferences that are associated with the sexual relationship between partners. This index has evidenced excellent test-retest reliability (.94 across two hours), and good concurrent, face, and construct validity across various samples and culture^.'".'^ In the present study, this index demonstrated a n internal consistency of .82. Procedures
One-hundred percent of the women who signed-up volunteered to participate. Each woman signed an informed consent statement and agreed to participate in this research project. In an effort to insure privacy, encourage honesty, and eliminate influence, the data in this study did not use names and consisted of confidential written responses to the q u est i on n a i re bat t cry.
RESULTS Alpha was established in this study at .05 to determine level of signiticance. As shown in 'Table I , with the exception of religion, both groups
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TABLE 1 Sample Characteristics
Total N = 76 ~
High Sensation Seekers N = 38
~~
M
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Variable Age Education Years of Marriage Number of Children
Low Sensation Seekers N = 38
* SD
M
25.34 '. 3.280 13.60 '. 1.278 2.56 2 1.782 0.98 2 0.981
26.03 13.80 3.06 1.04
%
?
2 2
*
SD 3.173 1.385 1.093 1.023
N
%
N
Race White White Hispanic
20 11 7
52.6 29.0 18.4
20 11 7
52.6 29.0 18.4
Religion Catholic Protestant Jewish None
11 24 1 2
29.0 63.1 2.6 5.3
07 21 0 9
18.4 55.3 0 23.7
Employment Status 40 hours or more weekly less than 40 hours weekly Not Employed
10 I 27
26.3 2.6 71.1
10
26.3 2.6 71.1
1
27
%I
Note: One low sensation seeker left her religious preference unmarked. Therefore, the total under religion for low sensation seekers is not equal to 100%.
were equivalently matched and no significant differences were discovered between the two groups in demographic analysis. T h e groups were, however, significantly different in sensation seeking as measured by the SSS ( t = 9.141, df = 74, p < .OOO). Two-tailed t-tests were then performed on all seven measures to test the quality of means between the two groups. Table 2 illustrates the means and standard deviations of all seven measures between the t w o groups. Since level of significance applies to each measure individually, analyses of variance (ANOVAS) were used where parametric tests were appropriate to determine any principle interactions between variables. Pearson's r was computed to determine any correlations between the individual measures and subject's age, education, length of marriage, and number of children. When two-tailed t-tests were computed, five of the seven measures demonstrated significant differences. T h e high sensation-seeking women evidenced greater sexual desire ( t = 3.409, df = 74, p < . O l ) , sexual
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TABLE 2
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Means a n d Standard Deviations of Measurements Low Sensation
Measures
High Sensation Seekers MeSD
Frequency of Intercourse Marital Dissatisfaction Sexual Desire Sexual Arousability Scxual Assertiveness Sexual Attitudes Sexual Dissatisfaction
2.6802 1.046 17.5792 4.774 63.92 I 2 8.922 88.53 I 3- 15.821 69.0602 7.410 69.0262 12.576 25.0532 8.612
2.5002 1.576 15.0262 5.943 58.4472 9.074 77.4062 12.969 67.9602 8.179 65.18421 1.542 18.026* 7.720
Seekers MtSD
Nole: liigher scores correspond t o greater item agreement or greater frequency of Occurrence
arousability ( t = 4.552, df = 74, p < .001), and a more positive or erotophilic attitude toward sexuality (1 = 2.806, df = 74, p < .01) than did the low sensation-seeking women. Despite these findings, the low sensation seekers scored lower o n the Index of Marital Satisfaction (t = -2.064, df = 74, p = .04) a n d t h e Index of Sexual Satisfaction, ( t = -3.745, df = 74, p < . O l ) , indicating that t h e low sensation-seeking women demonstrated significantly higher marital and sexual satisfaction in their marriages than did the high sensation-seeking women. Surprisingly, there were n o differences between the groups in frequency of sexual intercourse ( t = .945, df = 74, p = ns) a n d sexual assertiveness (1 = 1.134, df = 74, p = ns). N o significant interactions were discovered using ANOVA methods to examine each of the five measures for race, religion, and employment status, indicating that these variables act separately. Only one significant relationship was found by calculating Pearson’s r between the five measures a n d the subject’s age, education, length of marriage, number of children, a n d household income. Although age was found to be negatively correlated with sensation seeking ( r = - .22, p < .05), there were no significant age differences between the two groups ( t = - .892, df = 74, p = ns)
DISCUSSION T h e findings that the high sensation-seeking females in this study expressed higher sexual desire, greater sexual arousability , a n d had more positive or erotophilic attitudes toward sex are not surprising. As indicated in Table 3, these three measures are highly correlated with one another, in that when one has a positive attitude toward sex, o n e is more likely to have an active desire for sex a n d to be readily aroused. It is also logical to hypothesize that these women came to their respective marriages with these attitudes a n d tendencies already established, since high
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TABLE 3 Correlational Matrix of Measures M-2 M- 1
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M-2 M-3 M-4 M-5 M-6
- .332* -
-
M-3 .273* - .lo4
-
-
-
M-4 .lo1 -.183 .405* -
M-5 .203 - .308* .256* .237* -
-
M-6 .lo6 .089 .327* .288*
.274*
-
M-7 ,172 .192
-.zw -.347* -.241* - .362*
Nofe: M-1 = frequency of sexual intercourse; M-2 = marital satisfaction; M-3 = sexual desire; M 4 = sexual arousal; M-5 = sexual assertiveness; M-6 = sexual attitudes; and M-7 = sexual satisfaction. Lower scores on M-2and M-7 indicate greater satisfaction. *p < .05
sensation seekers are known to report having a variety of sexual experie n c e ~ Whether .~ these tendencies a r e allowed free expression in their present marriages is a matter of conjecture. What is surprising is that the high sensation seekers do not engage in sexual intercourse more frequently than their low sensation-seeking counterparts. T h e actual number of times per week that a woman engages in sexual intercourse may be a function of many factors, only one of which may be her desire to do so. A desire to engage in a particular activity is not a reliable indicator of the likelihood that the individual may actually carry out this behavior. This seeming paradox is also related to the finding that the high sensation seekers are not more sexually assertive than the low sensation seekers. T h e tendency to want sex is strongly related to the likely outcome of a sexual overture. If a woman is in an unsatisfying marriage, with a husband who bores her in bed, she is less likely to initiate sex because she knows what is going to happen. I t is possible that sex has become routine and predictable, and a sexual overture on her part will only result in an encounter that she has already defined as less than exciting. Her level of sexual assertiveness may, in fact, actually reflect her feelings toward her husband rather than her feelings about sex. T h e fact that she desires sex, but does not engage in it with any greater frequency, may be a comment o n her marriage and on her husband, rather than o n herself or o n her interest in sex per se. It is also possible that the husband has difficulty keeping u p with his wife’s sexual demands and communicates this dissatisfaction to her in subtle ways that would, in turn, influence the wife’s likelihood of initiating sex. It is also feasible that the husband is employing some form of control over the wife. Perhaps she is being punished for her sexuality by being denied what she wants in the bedroom. Whatever explanation one cares to emphasize, it is still likely that this disparity is more a function of the marital relationship rather than of the woman as an individual. T h e high sensation-seeking women in this study also reported lower marital and sexual satisfaction than did the low sensation-seeking women.
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If an individual likes and desires sex a n d is easily aroused, but does not have a relationship that encourages sexual variety a n d spontaneity, dissatisfaction may be a likely outcome. At this point we would like to caution the reader not to assume that the respondents’ dissatisfaction with their marriages is a result of their sexual dissatisfaction. Since sexual satisfaction is a function of not only the physical activities, but of the partner with whom o n e has sex and of the relationship in which it takes place, marital satisfaction is also a function of many variables, only one of which may be sexual. T h e results of this study indicate that age is negatively correlated with sensation seeking. This finding is consistent with the results obtained by Zuckerman, Eysenck, and Eysenck,’* who hypothesized that this could reflect biological changes associated with aging, or it could be reflective of a tendency toward increased conservatism. It is also possible that over time a high sensation seeker learns to lower her expectations vis-A-vis her husband and her niarriage. While she may not be entirely satisfied, she may no longer be as dissatisfied as she once was. Perhaps the spouses have worked out a compromise that represents a middle ground between her high sensation seeking a n d his repertoire of responses which is at least acceptable to both parties. T h e high sensation seekers a r e not as happy with their marriages as their low sensation-seeking counterparts. This finding may reflect issues that are far broader than just sexual incompatibility. T h e i r sex lives may be indicative o f their marriages, not the other way around. Sensation seeking is not a personality trait unto itself; it is a trait associated with other traits. T h e high sensation seeker is often portrayed in a pejorative sense, as one who cannot sit still for long, who is constantly on the lookout for new experiences, who may vent these tendencies in inappropriate ways, such as drugs or alcohol, a n d who is likely to take risks to achieve these ends. T h e assumption is also made that sensation seekers are likely to act o n their impulses. To describe them in less pejorative terms, sensation seekers are individuals who are independent, active, curious, and open to new experiences. Although they have a low tolerance for tedium, if they a r e presented with a situation that is challenging and interesting, they do not necessarily abandon it in favor of anything new that comes along. In the w o r k arena, such characteristics are often correlated with productivity a n d creativity. Yet the types of work in which these traits are prized represent those fields that are male-dominated, as are traditional marriages. For high sensation seekers, level of marital satisfaction may actually represent their dissatisfaction with male-dominated marriages, in general, a n d with their husbands, in particular. One limitation of this study is its lack of information o n the sensationseeking levels of the husbands, as research has demonstrated that marital satisfaction is lower in marriages where the woman is a high sensation seeker, regardless of the husband’s level of sensation-seeking.* However, the need for further research to examine the role of sensation seeking in the marital and sexual relationships between husbands and wives is indicated.
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Despite this limitation, there were clearly many significant differences between the two groups in this study. This combined with the demographic similarities between the two groups seem to contribute strong evidence for sensation seeking as being the key variable responsible for those differences.
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21. Hurlbert DF, Apt C: Sexual narcissism and the abusive male. J Sex Marital Ther 17:27%292, 199 1. 22. Fisher W A , Byrne D, White L A : Emotional barriers to contraception. In D Byrne, WA Fisher (eds), Adolescerifs, sex, and codraception. Hillsdale, NJ, Lawrence Erlbaum. 23. Fisher W A , Byrne I), White LA, Kelly K: Erotophobia-erotophilia as a dimension of personali1y.J Sex Res 25:123-151, 1988.
