Date of Award:
5-1987
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Psychology
Committee Chair(s)
William R. Dobson
Committee
William R. Dobson
Committee
Richley Crapo
Committee
Gerald Adams
Abstract
Capacity for intimacy was examined as a function of sexual orientation. Sixty-six volunteers comprised four groups: heterosexual males, homosexual males, heterosexual females and homosexual females. Subjects' ages ranged from 19 to 61 and education levels ranged from 10 to 21 years of schooling. The four groups were comparable in terms of age, education level and general mental health.
Each volunteer responded to the following instruments: the Orlofsky Intimacy Interview (questionnaire format), the Yufit Intimacy-Isolation Questionnaire, the Rubin Like Scale, the Rubin Love Scale and the Gordon Personal Profile (used to assess general mental health) . Responses were compiled and analyzed by either an analysis of variance or a chi-square technique.
The stereotype of the male homosexual as one who is incapable of achieving intimacy was not supported by this study. Likewise, it was found that lesbian women do not differ significantly from heterosexual women in their capacity for intimacy.
Checksum
b684eafdf6fcf8618693507a45f2543a
Recommended Citation
Harshbarger, Sandra Lee, "Sexual Orientation and Capacity for Intimacy" (1987). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 5966.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/5966
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