Effect of Relationship Status on Response Times to Sexual and Romantic Stimuli Among Japanese Undergraduates in a Memory Task

This study examined the effects of relationship status on response times to sexual and romantic stimuli during a memory task, which has not been studied before. Based on previous studies on sexual attitudes and behaviors, we hypothesized that response times to sexual stimuli would be faster in individuals who were in a relationship, compared to those who were not. We also hypothesized that the response times to sexual stimuli of individuals who were not in a relationship would be slower than their response time to romantic stimuli. A total of 348 college students memorized 27 sexual, romantic, and neutral sentences and were later asked to recognize them. The students’ response times to each sentence were recorded. The results of a 2 (gender) × 2 (stimulus type) × 2 (relationship status) ANOVA showed that response times to sexual sentences were faster in participants who were in a relationship, compared to those who were not. Furthermore, participants who were not in a relationship responded more slowly to sexual than to romantic sentences. Thus, our hypotheses were supported. Individuals’ relationship status influenced their response times to sexual and romantic stimuli even after controlling for the effects of gender.