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Gender-Specificity in Sexual Attraction and Fantasies: Evidence from Self-Report and Indirect Measures.

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Title: Gender-Specificity in Sexual Attraction and Fantasies: Evidence from Self-Report and Indirect Measures.
Authors: Keinan-Bar, Sapir (AUTHOR), Bar-Anan, Yoav (AUTHOR), Joel, Daphna (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Sex Research. Mar/Apr2026, Vol. 63 Issue 3, p443-459. 17p.
Subjects: Sexual attraction, Sexual fantasies, Sexual excitement, Unobtrusive measures, Gender differences (Sociology), Sexual orientation, Sexual psychology
Abstract: Gender differences in the gender-specificity of physiological and psychological sexual responses have been widely studied. Men's sexual responses are typically described as gender-specific, with stronger responses to their preferred gender compared to their nonpreferred gender. In contrast, women's sexual responses, particularly those of straight women, have been reported to be less gender-specific. Using three large online datasets (N = 56,892), we examined gender differences in several sexuality-related measures, including some not previously used to study gender-specificity. Our findings revealed that men generally exhibited greater gender-specificity than women across self-reported sexual orientation, sexual attraction, and sexual fantasies, as well as indirect measures of sexual attraction. Notably, straight women demonstrated clear gender-specificity on all but one indirect measure. Depending on the measure, the gender difference in gender-specificity was smaller, absent, or even reversed in the gay/lesbian groups. Novel to the current research, we found that the gender difference in gender-specificity in self-reported sexual attraction and fantasies was most often characterized by women showing greater sexual response toward their nonpreferred gender and lower sexual response toward their preferred gender, compared to men. We discuss possible accounts for our findings and the theoretical implications of our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Sex Research is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Label: Title
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  Data: Gender-Specificity in Sexual Attraction and Fantasies: Evidence from Self-Report and Indirect Measures.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Keinan-Bar%2C+Sapir%22">Keinan-Bar, Sapir</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bar-Anan%2C+Yoav%22">Bar-Anan, Yoav</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Joel%2C+Daphna%22">Joel, Daphna</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Sex+Research%22">Journal of Sex Research</searchLink>. Mar/Apr2026, Vol. 63 Issue 3, p443-459. 17p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sexual+attraction%22">Sexual attraction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sexual+fantasies%22">Sexual fantasies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sexual+excitement%22">Sexual excitement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Unobtrusive+measures%22">Unobtrusive measures</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+differences+%28Sociology%29%22">Gender differences (Sociology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sexual+orientation%22">Sexual orientation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sexual+psychology%22">Sexual psychology</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Gender differences in the gender-specificity of physiological and psychological sexual responses have been widely studied. Men's sexual responses are typically described as gender-specific, with stronger responses to their preferred gender compared to their nonpreferred gender. In contrast, women's sexual responses, particularly those of straight women, have been reported to be less gender-specific. Using three large online datasets (N = 56,892), we examined gender differences in several sexuality-related measures, including some not previously used to study gender-specificity. Our findings revealed that men generally exhibited greater gender-specificity than women across self-reported sexual orientation, sexual attraction, and sexual fantasies, as well as indirect measures of sexual attraction. Notably, straight women demonstrated clear gender-specificity on all but one indirect measure. Depending on the measure, the gender difference in gender-specificity was smaller, absent, or even reversed in the gay/lesbian groups. Novel to the current research, we found that the gender difference in gender-specificity in self-reported sexual attraction and fantasies was most often characterized by women showing greater sexual response toward their nonpreferred gender and lower sexual response toward their preferred gender, compared to men. We discuss possible accounts for our findings and the theoretical implications of our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Sex Research is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=192312986
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/00224499.2025.2545965
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 17
        StartPage: 443
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Sexual attraction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sexual fantasies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sexual excitement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Unobtrusive measures
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gender differences (Sociology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sexual orientation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sexual psychology
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Gender-Specificity in Sexual Attraction and Fantasies: Evidence from Self-Report and Indirect Measures.
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          Name:
            NameFull: Keinan-Bar, Sapir
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            NameFull: Bar-Anan, Yoav
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            NameFull: Joel, Daphna
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            – D: 01
              M: 03
              Text: Mar/Apr2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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