The purpose of this study was to determine if the level of spirituality in college students influenced the sexual behaviors in which they engaged. Subjects for this study were sampled from among students enrolled in large core curriculum courses at Ball State University. The design of this study was a cross-sectional survey, descriptive, comparative study. The data collection instruments for this study were the Spiritual Involvement and Beliefs Scales (Hatch et al. 1997) and selected questions from the College Risk Behaviors Questionnaire (CDC, 1995). A total of 300 instruments were distributed and 93.3% (n=280) were completed and returned.The Pearson Chi-Square analysis was used to test the hypotheses that there was no association between spirituality and selected sexual risky behavior among college students. Results of the Pearson's Chi-Square analysis revealed that there was an association between spirituality and sexual risk behavior of college students, therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected. / Department of Physiology and Health Science

Sexual compulsivity describes poorly controlled sexual thoughts, fantasies, urges, and behavior. The purpose of the current study was to examine and compare, utilizing a non-clinical sample, the relative psychometric properties of two existing scales used to assess sexual compulsivity, the Sexual Compulsivity Scale and the Compulsive Sexual Behavior Inventory. Participants were 334 male undergraduate students ranging in age from 18 to 42 years (M =19.54, SD = 2.16) enrolled in Introductory Psychology courses at a mid-sized Midwestern university. Zero-order correlation analyses were conducted to identify which sexual behaviors and constructs associated with sexuality were significantly related to scores on the CSBI and the SCS. Examination of the differential patterns of sexuality relations suggests the CSBI and the SCS may measure different aspects of compulsivity. Step-wise regression analyses indicated that the use of drugs and alcohol to gain compliance from a sexual partner, fantasies of impersonal sex, and sexual anxiety were significant predictors for both the CSBI and the SCS. On the CSBI, the final predictor that accounted for a significant increase in variance accounted for was expressing anger, while on the SCS additional variance was accounted for by sexual preoccupation. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed. / Department of Psychological Science

We aimed to identify the volatile compounds in inflorescences of Rudbeckia hirta that may be responsible for the olfactory attraction of the crab spider Misumenoides formosipes to this plant. Our approach was to use ultrasonic extraction, separate the extract into fractions using flash chromatography with different solvent systems, and test the attraction of the male spiders to the pooled fractions using a y-tube olfactometer. Ultrasonic extraction is carried out using a mixture of 1:2 hexane/diethyl ether with 10 g of inflorescences for 30 minutes. Bioassay results indicated that male spiders chose the inflorescences, bulk ultrasonic extract, and the pooled 100% dichloromethane fractions over controls. Nuclear magnetic resonance experiments and infrared spectroscopy experiments were carried out on the 100% dichloromethane fractions and these experiments indicated that a long chain hydrocarbon is the main component in the 100% dichloromethane fractions / Chromatographic method and bioassay development method -- M. formosipes olfactory response to R. hirta -- Separation and identification of the possible attractants in the 100% dichloromethane fractions. / Department of Chemistry

Previous research has shown that many women feel self-conscious of their bodies during physical intimacy with their partners, and this body image self-consciousness was related to sexual esteem, sexual assertiveness, sexual experience, and avoidance of sexual behavior. The purpose of the present study was to further explore body image selfconsciousness and examine its relationship with sexual functioning, risky sexual behavior, and sexual victimization. Participants were 171 heterosexual, sexually active, female undergraduate college students and completed the Body Image Self-Consciousness Scale (BISCS), the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Sexual Experiences Survey (SES), and a questionnaire assessing sexual experience and risky sexual behavior. Results found that body image self-consciousness was associated with use of protection against sexually transmitted infection during vaginal sex, overall sexual functioning, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and sexual satisfaction, and the frequency of some sexual behavior, but not sexual victimization. / Department of Psychological Science

Research has shown that college students understand the risks associated with risky sexual behavior, but make up to close to 50% of new STI cases every year. Previous research suggests that lower perceived susceptibility to negative consequences, extroversion, openness, and neuroticism are all related to risky sexual behavior. Three hypotheses are proposed. Hypothesis one proposes that men and women will have significantly different levels of perceived susceptibility. Hypothesis two proposes that perceived susceptibility, extroversion, openness, and neuroticism predict sexual risk taking. Finally, hypothesis three proposes that perceived susceptibility will be negatively correlated with sexual risk taking, whereas extroversion, openness, and neuroticism will be positively correlated with sexual risk taking. Hypothesis one was not supported, hypothesis two was supported, and hypothesis three was only partially supported. Future directions in safe sex education are suggested. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Wright and Adams (1994; 1999) developed a Choice Reaction Time measure to assess sexual interests in men and women. In their studies, men responded in accordance to their self-reported sexual interests much more consistently than women. Placing these results in the framework of objectification theories (e.g., Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997), the present study was designed to examine the relationship between body image and young women's CRT responses.Forty-two females participated in the CRT task. Consistent with previous studies, 21 (50%) of the women took longer to respond on male trials than female trials. These women were compared to those who took longer on female trials on all the body image and sexuality measures using ANOVA's. Results indicated no significant differences on any of the body image measures, but a small number of differences on sexuality measures. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for gender differences in sexual interest. / Department of Psychological Science

The thesis was designed to determine the relative impact of an academic course in human sexuality on specific sexual attitudes and intimate communication skills of undergraduate college students.Seventy-five students were subdivided into experimental and control groups. Data regarding personal sexual anxiety, sexual decision making skills and level of comfort about sexual issues were collected during the first and last weeks of the Spring 1990 semester. These served as pre and posttests. Descriptive data about the subjects were also obtained.The results of this study indicated that although males and females differ significantly from each other in sexual anxiety and sexual decision making skills, the subjects did not differ in their level of comfort. However, experimentalfemales did approach significant change in their reported comfort level scores from pre to posttest. / Department of Physiology and Health Science

The thesis was designed to determine sexual attitudes, as measured by the Reiss 12 Item Sexual Permissiveness Scale, and sexual practices, as measured by an eight item sexual behavior inventory, of undergraduate students at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.The sample for the study consisted of 617 undergraduate students selected using the method of stratified random sampling with proportional allocation of five percent from each of the four college levels. A biographical questionnaire was mailed to each of the subjects with a total return of 60 percent. Due to the low rate of return the respondents were declared to be the population of the study and no longer a randomly selected sample.Reliability coefficients were obtained through use of the Kuder-Richardson formula Number 20 on the sexual permissiveness scales and on the sexual behavior inventory. The reliability coefficient of the sexual permissiveness scale was found to be .8676, and .9215 was found to be the coefficient of the sexual behavior inventory.The returned questionnaires were subdivided into males and females and data were reported for each respondent on the scale that was the same sex as the respondent (women on the female scale and men on the male scale). For each group, the data were analyzed, through use of the chi-square test, according to age, academic field, college year, membership in fraternities or sororities, religious affiliation, whether religiously active or inactive, place of residence, cumulative grade point average, yearly income of parents, and marital status to determine their independency of the dependent variables of sexual attitudes and sexual behavior. Findings revealed that although some significant (.05) differences were found in the permissive attitudes of the students in relation to their biographical variables, there is little evidence from the study that would generally support a true dependency of sexual permissiveness on the biographical variables of the students, with the exceptions of the variables of sex and religious activity. Males were found to be more permissive in attitude than females, and the more permissive individuals were found to be religiously inactive rather than religiously active. In relationship to permissive behavior on the part of the subjects, although some significant (.05) differences were found, there is little evidence from the study that would support a true dependence of premarital coital experience on the biographical variables of the students. The investigation revealed that over 50 percent of the females studied and over 68 percent of the males studied had experienced premarital sexual intercourse.The relationship between sexual attitudes and sexual behavior was determined through use of the point biserial correlation. Findings revealed that there is evidence of some significant (.05) negative attitudes and what they stated as their actual sexual behavior. The significant negative findings indicated that there was a tendency for more males and females to be in accordance with permissive attitudes than were actually experiencing the behavior.

The national reported rates of sexually transmitted infections (other than HIV/AIDS) in Ireland have been increasing over the last decade of the 20^th century. Medical professionals and epidemiologists consider the rates of STIs as indicators of the proportion of the population engaging in 'high risk' behaviour. According to this hypothesis, an increase in reported rates reflects an increase in 'high risk' behaviours. This thesis will examine this relationship and determine the reasons for the increased reported rates in Ireland. This will involve an investigation into Irish sexual behaviours and attitudes, thus giving an insight into Irish sexuality, which has previously attracted little sociological interest. Evidence in regard to Irish sexuality and sexually transmitted infections is limited. In the absence of longitudinal data on sexual behaviours and a national survey on STIs and risk-taking sexual behaviours, the question of the rising rates has to be addressed by collating available data from different sources. This involves: (1) the use of epidemiological and GUM clinics' information, (2) a socio-historical account of Irish sexuality and sexually transmitted infections and (3) a comparative analysis of Irish sexual behaviours and attitudes with four other countries utilising the International Social Survey Programme's 1994 dataset, Family and Changing Gender Roles II. It is concluded that the increasing reporting rates of STIs are not being directly caused by accompanying increases of 'high risk' sexual behaviours in the general population but are produced by a number of factors including a growing public openness about sexuality and sexual health awareness.

The courtship behavior of the brown garden snail, Cantareus aspersus , includes a bizarre component where one snail attempts to pierce its mating partner with a sharp, calcareous dart that is covered with mucus. In vitro, the mucus causes conformational changes to the reproductive tract causing sperm to be stored rather than digested. In addition, successful dart shooters have an increased relative paternity compared to unsuccessful shooters. I have tested whether this increased paternity is caused by the mucus delivered on the dart or by the mechanical action of the dart. Mating trials were conducted using dartless and glandless snails, where a future mother was mated to two different potential fathers, receiving an injection of mucus with one mating, and an injection of saline with the second mating. The fathers accompanied by the mucus injection sired significantly more offspring than the fathers accompanied by the saline injection. I conclude that the mucus carried on the dart is responsible for increased paternity levels in Cantareus aspersus.