Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Measuring the Dimensions of Women's Sexuality: The Women's Sexual Self-Concept Scale

  • Published:
Sex Roles Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The sexual self-concept is an important component of the self-concept that researchers have rarely examined. The Women's Sexual Self-Concept Scale (WSSCS) is a 39-item measure designed to assess women's sexual self-concept. Women rate the extent to which various behaviors, cognitions, emotions, and adjectives describe their sexuality. In a study with 262 women, the measure was found to be both reliable and valid. Three factors were identified through exploratory Principal Components Analysis. Women rated themselves highest on the Reserved Approach subscale, followed by the Agentic Sexuality subscale, and the Negative Associations subscale. Compared to a stereotype of women's sexuality (obtained with a mixed-gender group of 444 participants), the women in the present study rated themselves higher on the Reserved Approach subscale and lower on the Negative Associations subscale. Group differences in women's sexual self-concepts were identified by past xinvolvement in romantic or sexual relationships, and current sexual involvement.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andersen, B. L., & Cyranowski, J. M. (1994). Women's sexual self-schema. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67, 1079–1100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andersen, B. L., & Cyranowski, J. M. (1995). Women's sexuality: Behaviors, responses, and individual differences. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63, 891–906.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Andersen, B. L., Cyranowski, J. M., & Espindle, D. (1999). Men's sexual self-schema. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 645–661.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Andersen, B. L., Woods, X. A., & Copeland, L. J. (1997). Sexual self-schema and sexual morbidity among gynecologic cancer survivors. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 221–229.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Andersen, B. L., Woods, X. A., & Cyranowski, J. M. (1994). Sexual self-schema as a possible predictor of sexual problems following cancer treatment. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 3, 165–170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Breakwell, G. M., & Millward, L. J. (1997). Sexual self-concept and sexual risk-taking. Journal of Adolescence, 20, 29–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Crosby, F., & Cordova, D. (1993). On the failure to see oneself as disadvantaged: Cognitive and emotional components. In M. A. Hogg & D. Abrams (Eds.), Group motivation: Social psychological perspectives (pp. 87–104). Hertfordshire, England: Harvester Wheatsheaf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crosby, F., Pufall, A., Snyder, R. C., O'Connell, M., & Whalen, P. (1989). The denial of personal disadvantage among you, me, and all the other ostriches. In M. Crawford & M. Gentry (Eds.), Gender and thought: Psychological perspectives (pp. 79–99). New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crowne, D. P., & Marlowe, D. (1960). A new scale of social desirability independent of psychopathology. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 24, 349–354.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cyranowski, J. M., & Andersen, B. L. (1998). Schemas, sexuality, and romantic attachment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1364–1379.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cyranowski, J. M., & Andersen, B. L. (2000). Evidence of self-schematic cognitive processing in women with differing sexual self-views. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 19, 519–543.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fine, M. (1988). Sexuality, schooling, and adolescent females: The missing discourse of desire. Harvard Educational Review, 58, 29–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Markus, H., & Wurf, E. (1987). The dynamic self-concept: A social psychological perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 38, 299–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCormick, N. B. (1994). Sexual salvation: Affirming women's sexual rights and pleasures. Westport, CT: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snell, W. E. Jr., Fisher, T. D., & Miller, R. S. (1991). Development of the Sexual Awareness Questionnaire: Components, reliability, and validity. Annals of Sex Research, 4, 65–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolman, D. L., & Szalacha, L. A. (1999). Dimensions of desire: Bridging qualitative and quantitative methods in a study of female adolescent sexuality. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 23, 7–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vance, C. S. (1992). Pleasure and danger: Toward a politics of sexuality. In C. S. Vance (Ed.), Pleasure and danger: Exploring female sexuality (pp. 1–27). London: Pandora Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social-Personality Psychology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, USA

    Suzanne M. Johnson Vickberg & Kay Deaux

  2. 14 Bowdoin St., Maplewood, 07040, NJ

    Suzanne M. Johnson Vickberg

Authors
  1. Suzanne M. Johnson Vickberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kay Deaux
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Suzanne M. Johnson Vickberg.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vickberg, S.M.J., Deaux, K. Measuring the Dimensions of Women's Sexuality: The Women's Sexual Self-Concept Scale. Sex Roles 53, 361–369 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-005-6759-y

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-005-6759-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation