Chasing Sexual Orientation: A Comparison of Commonly Used Single-Indicator Measures of Sexual Orientation

Josephine D. Korchmaros, Claudia Powell, Sally Stevens

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

52 Scopus citations

Abstract

This research investigated the utility of single-indicator measures of sexual orientation in examining group differences. Adolescents and young adults reported their sexual orientations, preferences, and partners. Results indicate that, (a) depending on the measure of sexual orientation, 10% to 22% cannot be categorized into a sexual orientation group using a single-indicator measure; (b) self-identified sexual orientation is often incongruent with preference and behavior; (c) incongruity differs by gender and self-identified sexual orientation; and (d) detected differences in gay/lesbian, bisexual, and straight individuals vary by measure of sexual orientation. These results indicate that classification of sexual orientation by single-indicator measures can lead to inconsistent conclusions across studies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)596-614
Number of pages19
JournalJournal of Homosexuality
Volume60
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2013

Keywords

  • measurement
  • measurement issues
  • sexual orientation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Gender Studies
  • Social Psychology
  • Education
  • General Psychology

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