A Comparative Investigation of Indirect Measures of Sexual Attraction

Indirect measures of sexual attraction may be useful research tools, in addition to direct measures. In a large online sample (N = 50,535), we compared the validity and reliability of several indirect measures, including novel measures that we developed. Our main focus was single-gender indirect measures that assess sexual attraction to men and to women separately, as recommended by contemporary sexuality theories. The gender-comparative Men/Women Implicit Association Test (IAT) had the best psychometric qualities. The best single-gender measure was a novel measure: a sexual attraction Questionnaire-based IAT. For most indirect measures, we found suggestive evidence that they capture unintentional processes that reflect sexual attraction. There was also evidence that factors other than sexual attraction might also influence the indirect measures, potentially harming the validity of the measures. Our research contributes comparative knowledge that could guide further research on sexual attraction and on the use of indirect measures of psychological constructs.