ABSTRACT

Prior experience with physical behaviors – both sexual and affectionate – is common among adults in romantic relationships. However, less is known about differences in physical behaviors for asexual and allosexual adults, and these differences may explain how asexual adults navigate sexuality in romantic relationships. In this study we used sexual script theory to examine asexual (n = 109; 59% women; M_age = 27.7) and allosexual adults’ (n = 403; 58% women; M_age = 29.0) prior experiences with and future likelihood to engage in sexual and affectionate behaviors in romantic relationships, and how these differences vary by gender. Asexual adults had less prior experience with and were less likely to intend to engage in future physical behaviors than allosexual adults. There were some gender differences in past experience and future likelihood. Prior experience with physical behaviors was associated with expected likelihood to engage in these behaviors for allosexual and asexual adults, although the association was stronger for asexual adults. These results have implications for how asexual adults engage in physical behaviors, and how differing interest in physical behaviors may cause conflict within asexual-allosexual couples.

摘要

在恋爱关系中的成年人中，身体行为（包括性行为和情感行为）的先前经验很常见。然而，人们对无性恋和异性恋成年人的身体行为差异知之甚少，这些差异可以解释无性恋成年人如何在恋爱关系中驾驭性行为。在这项研究中，我们使用性脚本理论来检查无性恋（n = 109；59% 女性；M_年龄 = 27.7）和异性恋成年人（n = 403；58% 女性；M_年龄） = 29.0) 以前的经历和未来在浪漫关系中从事性行为和亲昵行为的可能性，以及这些差异如何因性别而异。与异性恋成年人相比，无性恋成年人之前的经验较少，并且不太可能打算从事未来的身体行为。过去的经历和未来的可能性存在一些性别差异。先前的身体行为经验与异性恋和无性恋成年人参与这些行为的预期可能性有关，尽管这种关联对于无性恋成年人来说更强。这些结果对无性恋成年人如何进行身体行为，以及对身体行为的不同兴趣如何导致无性恋-异性恋夫妻之间的冲突有影响。