Explaining Sexual Fantasy: What Predicts Submissive Fantasies for Women? by Alison Anne Ziegler A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology and Women’s Studies) in the University of Michigan 2014 Doctoral Committee: Associate Professor Terri D. Conley, Chair Associate Professor Elizabeth Armstrong Professor Elizabeth R. Cole Associate Professor Breanne Fahs, Arizona State University DEDICATION To the best friends in the world: I don’t know where I’d be without yous. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are so many thanks to be given for all of the love and support over the course of the last five years. First, thanks to my wonderful advisors – Drs. Terri Conley and Liz Cole – for all of their invaluable support and encouragement throughout graduate school. It was such an honor to have the opportunity to work with two incredibly smart, passionate, and creative women. My graduate school experience would not have been the same without you and I cannot imagine a better team of mentors. I will miss you both dearly, but I know I’ll continue to see you in the future, both as collaborators and friends. Thank you also to the other members of my dissertation committee – Drs. Elizabeth Armstrong and Breanne Fahs. Your insight and feedback were greatly appreciated throughout the dissertation process. I will be forever grateful for the help and support that I received from both of my lab groups, the Stigmatized Sexualities Lab and the Intersectional Perspectives on Bodies and Sexuality. I love you all and will miss you very much. Many thanks to all of the undergraduate research assistants in the Stigmatized Sexualities Lab for all of their hard work and dedication to the lab. I would like to thank my mom and dad, Melissa and Mark Ziegler, and my sisters, Julie and Cassie Ziegler. I would not be where I am without the support and encouragement of my family. Betsy White and Rachel Hawthorne, although not related by blood, are like sisters to me and I love you so much. Thank you also to my loving partner and primary source of emotional iii support, Andy Burton. You are my favorite favorite and I am forever grateful to you for your love and unwavering confidence in me. Last, but not least, a big thank you to all of my graduate school friends. You all mean the world to me and I will always remember the times we’ve shared: late night studying, writing groups, encouragement, jokes, and commiserating. You are all the best and I cannot wait to see all of the wonderful things that you do (within your careers and beyond). iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii LIST OF TABLES vi ABSTRACT viii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION 1 Theoretical Perspectives 2 Project Aims 15 II. STUDY 1 23 Participants and Procedure 23 Measures and Materials 23 Results 27 Discussion 30 III. STUDY 2 33 Predicted Relationship between Sex Guilt and Other Constructs 35 Participants and Procedure 36 Measures and Materials 37 Results 41 Discussion 45 IV. STUDY 3 52 Participants and Procedures 52 Results and Discussion 53 V. GENERAL DISCUSSION 58 Implications of Significant Predictors of Submissive Sexual Fantasy 58 Preference Culture Level Factors 72 Conclusion 83 TABLES 85 APPENDIX 129 REFERENCES 131 v LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1 Study 1 Fantasy Means and Standard Deviations 85 2 Study 2 and 3 Fantasy Means and Standard Deviations 88 3 Study 1 Demographics for a) all women, b) younger women and c) older women 90 4 Study 1 Alpha Values and Means for Fantasy Scales 91 5 Study 1 Correlations between Variables 92 6 Study 1 Regression Analyses for Submissive Sexual Fantasies, Younger 93 Heterosexual Women Only 7 Study 1 Regression Analyses for Submissive Sexual Fantasies, Older Heterosexual 94 Women Only 8 Study 1 Regression Analyses for Submissive Sexual Fantasies, All Younger Women 95 9 Study 1 Regression Analyses for Submissive Sexual Fantasies, All Older Women 96 10 Study 2 Demographics by Gender 97 11 Studies 2 and 3 Alpha Values, Mean, Standard Deviations for Sexual Fantasy Factors 98 12 Study 2 – Factor Loadings for Multidimensional Sex Guilt Inventory Confirmatory 99 Factor Analysis 13 Study 2 Correlations between Multidimensional Sex Guilt Inventory Components for 103 Women 14 Study 2 Correlations between Multidimensional Sex Guilt Inventory Components for 105 Men 15 Study 2 Regression with Multidimensional Sex Guilt Inventory as Predictor of 107 Submissive Fantasy Appeal for Women and Men 16 Study 2 Regression with Multidimensional Sex Guilt Inventory as Predictor of 108 Dominant Fantasy Appeal for Women and Men 11 Study 2 Regression with Multidimensional Sex Guilt Inventory as Predictor of Non- 109 Monogamous Fantasy Appeal for Women and Men 18 Study 3 Means, Standard Deviations, Alpha Values, and Intercorrelations for 110 Independent Variables 19 Study 3 Demographics by Age Group 112 20 Study 3 Regression Analyses for Older Heterosexual Only Women with Submissive 113 Fantasy Appeal 21 Study 3 Regression Analyses for Younger Heterosexual Only Women with 114 Submissive Fantasy Appeal 22 Study 3 Regression Analyses for All Older Women with Submissive Fantasy Arouse 115 23 Study 3 Regression Analyses for Older Heterosexual Women with Submissive 116 vi Fantasy Arouse 24 Study 3 Regression for All Younger Women with Submissive Arouse 117 25 Study 3 Regression for Younger Heterosexual Women Only with Submissive Arouse 118 26 Study 3 Regression for All Older Women with Submissive Engage 119 27 Study 3 Regression with Older Heterosexual Women with Submissive Engage 120 28 Study 3 Regression for All Younger Women with Submissive Engage 121 29 Study 3 Regression for Younger Heterosexual Only with Submissive Engage 122 30 Study 3 Regression for All Older Women with Mean Submissive 123 31 Study 3 Regression for Older Heterosexual Women Only for Mean Submissive 124 32 Study 3 Regression for All Younger Women for Mean Submissive 125 33 Study 3 Regression for Younger Heterosexual Women with Mean Submissive 126 34 Study 3 Regression for All Younger Women with Submissive Appeal 127 35 Study 3 Regression for All Older Women with Submissive Appeal 128 vii ABSTRACT In a set of three studies, we explore predictors of women’s interest in submissive sexual fantasies and, also, provide an in-depth investigation of the role of sex guilt. We initially hypothesized that submissive sexual fantasy preference amongst women may be a reflection of women’s role in larger society (i.e., their lesser power as compared to men, or subscription to the heterosexual script); however, our findings paint a different picture; one in which women’s relationship with submissive sexual fantasy preference is much more complicated and nuanced, and less a direct representation of social roles and stereotypes. Though more research about correlates of fantasy preference is needed, our results provide support for current discourse on the positive value of sexual fantasies. In general, across our studies, greater interest in fantasies (overall, regardless of type) tend to be correlated primarily with variables that indicate greater levels of sexual functioning, including higher sexual assertiveness and lower conservative sexual attitudes (as measured by the Mosher Sex Guilt scale). Additionally, as a result of findings from Study 1, in Study 2 we focus on sex guilt and develop a novel measure that more accurately captures the multidimensionality of this construct with hopes of clarifying some of the inconsistencies in previous research that has potentially obscured the relationship between sexual guilt and other sexuality related variables. In the concluding chapter, we discuss the implications of the significant findings and use a feminist perspective to explore potential ways that culture- viii level factors and patriarchal society may affect sexuality and sexual preferences at the individual level. ix CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION With the recent release of the bestselling Fifty Shades Trilogy, James (2012) seems to have boosted the perceived acceptability of submissive sexual desires and fantasies among women nationwide. In this sexually graphic novel, a handsome older man introduces a young woman to BDSM (bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism) and teaches her how to be sexually submissive. The novel made BDSM-inspired themes more visible to the public and some have suggested that the book even stimulated increased sales of intimate attire, sex toys, restraints, and blindfolds (Felder, 2012). Despite the recent popularity of this trilogy and the accompanying novelty items, women’s interest in submissive fantasies is not a new phenomenon. In fact, most studies that have investigated the gender differences in sexual fantasies have consistently found that women, more so than men, are inclined to indicate that submission is among their favorite or most frequent sexual fantasies (Arndt, 1985; Crepault, 1976; Davidson, 1986; Fisher, 1973; Hariton, 1973, March; Hariton & Singer, 1974; Kanin, 1982; Knafo & Jaffe, 1984; Pelletier & Herold, 1988; Talbot, Beech, & Vaughan, 1980). Sexual fantasy can be operationalized in a number of ways; however, for the purposes of this project, we have chosen to use a definition put forth by Leitenberg and Henning as “almost 1