The DOI matches its Crossref record; 44 of the 44 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Defining and Measuring Sexual Orientation: A Review
Abstract
How to define and identify sexual orientations for the purpose of constructing representative samples of homosexuals, bisexuals, and heterosexuals is unclear and confusing to researchers. Different definitions and measures have been proposed and used to develop samples since the 1860s when sexual orientations first gained widespread research interest. Unfortunately, the definitions and measurement tools used since then result in the selection of divergent and incomparable samples. If advances in the understanding of sexual orientations are to be made, it is critical that definitions and measures of sexual orientation be standardized. This paper reviews and critiques definitions and measures of sexual orientation that have been proposed and used by researchers over the past century. This review is intended to further our understanding of this subject and to encourage researchers to be critical of how they classify subjects based upon sexual orientation.
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In the citing paper
“Traditionally, sexual behavior and attraction measures in the U.S. have asked respondents to check a single response option [5, 6].”
From Sexual orientation in transgender adults in the United States (2023) · cites this paper as [6]
Citations
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Cited by
Haas, A. P., Eliason, M., Mays, V. M., Mathy, R. M., Cochran, S. D., D'Augelli, A. R., Silverman, M. M., Fisher, P. W., Hughes, T., Rosario, M., et al. (2010) · Journal of Homosexuality · doi:10.1080/00918369.2011.534038 · Cited by 1,236
Self-citationCochran, S. D., Sullivan, J. G., & Mays, V. M. (2003) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-006x.71.1.53 · Cited by 1,109
“Because sexual orientation is a broader construct than samegender sexual activity (Sell, 1997), the use of sexual behavior alone to determine identity has led to some concern about misclassification bias in these studies (Bailey, 1999; Cochran et al., 2000; Cochran & Mays, 2000b), Indeed, Bailey…”
BackgroundCochran, B. N., Stewart, A. J., Ginzler, J. A., & Cauce, A. M. (2002) · American Journal of Public Health · doi:10.2105/ajph.92.5.773 · Cited by 596
Cochran, S. D. (2001) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.56.11.931 · Cited by 447
Research on Adolescent Sexual Orientation: Development, Health Disparities, Stigma, and Resilience
Saewyc, E. (2011) · Journal of Research on Adolescence · doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00727.x · Cited by 455
“The most common definitions of sexual orientation are focused around the concept of ‘‘orientation,’’ that is, an erotic inclination toward people of one or more genders, most often described as sexual or erotic attractions (Savin-Williams & Ream, 2007; Sell, 1997).”
Background
Metadata
- Authors
- Sell, R. L.
- Affiliations
- Columbia University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Sell, Randall L.
- ORCID
- Sell, Randall L.
- Venue
- Archives of Sexual Behavior
- Published
- 1997-12
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 643-658
- ISSN
- 0004-0002 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-2800
- OpenAlex
- W2167752770
- Cited by
- 347
- References
- 44
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 39 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 16
- FWCI
- 3.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Archives of Sexual Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender and Feminist Studies
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
- Keywords
- sexual orientation, sexual orientation measurement, sample representativeness, homosexuality, bisexuality, heterosexuality, measurement standardization
- MeSH terms
- Female, Gender Identity, Homosexuality, Humans, Male, Sexual Behavior
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- Sell, R. L. (1997). Defining and Measuring Sexual Orientation: A Review. Archives of Sexual Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1023/a%3A1024528427013
