The relationship between normative convictions, sexual behaviour and personality. In order to fill the gap of knowledge regarding sexuality in South Africa, the sexual attitudes and behaviour of 95 Afrikaans-speaking undergraduate psychology students were investigated by means of the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire, the Mosher Sex-Guilt subscale and a combined biographical and attitude questionnaire. The study concentrated on the relationship between normative convictions, personality factors and sexual behaviour. Most respondents reported a fair degree of intimacy in their relationships, while one third had already had premarital sexual experience. Although respondents expressed predominantly negative sexual attitudes, they expected men to be more promiscuous than women. No difference in males•and females• experience of intimacy in relationships and sexual experience could be indicated. Although the respondents were predominantly religious, the female respondents were more religiously inclined than the male respondents. The religious convictions of the respondents were strong enough to influence their sexual attitudes. On the behavioural level sexually inexperienced respondents were more involved with church activities and those with fewer sex partners also expressed strong religious convictions. No connection between the personality factor extraversion and any form of pro-sexuality could be indicated. Socially undesirable personality factors were, however, identified as predictors of positive sexual attitudes. Elements in Ajzen•s theory of reasoned behaviour correlated positively with sexual attitudes. This model was also found to be suitable for the prediction of sexual attitudes. The opinion of the father and members of the peer group, as well as the expectation of positive consequences, among others, was identified as predictors of positive attitudes while the opinion of the parson, grandparents and lecturers was rejected, Respondents with many sex partners not only expected positive consequences, but because of social sanctions they valued the reverend's opinion highly and expressed negative emotional set towards sexuality. Although Ajzen•s model often explained a high proportion of the variance in the dependent variables. it is clear that variables other than those included in this model, like sexual guilt, greatly contribute to the explanation of variance in both sexual attitudes and behaviour. / MA, PU vir CHO, 1992
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NWUBOLOKA1/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/10253 |
Date | January 1991 |
Creators | Wepener, Elmarie |
Source Sets | North-West University |
Language | other |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Thesis |
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