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Understanding Attraction, Behavior, and Identity in the Asexual Community
Corey Frederick Doremus1, Meredith C Jones2, D J Angelone1
1Department of Psychology, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, 08028, USA.
Archives of Sexual Behavior
|November 23, 2022
Summary
This study explored romantic and sexual orientation within the asexual community. Findings indicate that while attraction is closely linked to overall experiences, significant individual variability exists in asexual identity, behavior, and romantic attraction.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Sexuality Studies
Background:
- Models of sexuality traditionally integrate romantic and sexual orientations.
- However, romantic and sexual orientations do not always align for all individuals.
- The asexual community has developed a nuanced language for discussing romantic orientation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate patterns in attraction, behavior, and identity within the asexual community.
- To explore the relationship between romantic and sexual orientations in asexual individuals.
- To understand the diversity of experiences regarding fluidity, labeling, desire, and contextual influences.
Main Methods:
- Utilized t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (tSNE) for pattern analysis.
- Constructed detailed participant profiles based on attraction, behavior, and identity factors.
- Analyzed data from 306 individuals identifying as asexual.
Main Results:
- Attraction emerged as the factor most strongly associated with overall experiences.
- Significant variability was observed among participants' sexual and romantic orientation profiles.
- Individual profiles revealed nuances in fluidity, self-identified labels, and desire for romance or sex.
Conclusions:
- Attraction plays a key role in understanding asexual experiences, but individual differences are substantial.
- This study provides a framework for comprehending the complexities of romantic and sexual orientation within the asexual spectrum.
- Findings offer a foundation for future research and hypothesis generation in asexuality studies.
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