Simple visual reaction times and the Multiphasic Sex Inventory: Gender differences

ABSTRACT Gender differences were analyzed in relation to two sexual interest evaluation strategies: a reduced ad-hoc version of the Multiphasic Sex Inventory (MSI) and a measurement task of Visual Reaction Times (VRT) to Sexual Stimuli. With an incidental sample of 60 individuals, psychometric properties of a 63 items version of the MSI were analyzed. The VRT was a computer-based heterosexual, homosexual, adults, children, and neutral images test. Results show an acceptable internal reliability of several MSI subscales, and construct validity among them. In the MSI, men showed more cognitive distortions and sexual obsessions, as well as early starting in sexual activities and less social desirability in sexual matters. Regarding to VRT, women spent less time on adult images (Cohen's d: 0.85, and more on children (d: 0.61) and neutral images (d: 0.75). Several significant correlations between MSI subscales and VRT dimensions were found.