Objectives: Research of sexuality often times includes individuals who choose to be researched and are willing to undergo the procedures. Samples of the population (students and self-selected enthusiasts) may not resemble the nation’s population structure nor the general idea of random human even though the psychological mechanisms researched are thought to be universal. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between proximal measures of domain specific and non-specific excitation and inhibition in two (probabilistic and non-probabilistic) samples. Sample and settings: The authors collected approximately 400 individuals from the Central European country – Czech Republic – via the specialized agency to match the probabilistic sample (stratified sample) and a second similarly sized sample (chance sample) via snowball sampling and online advertisements at the same time. The participants were asked to fill in two questionnaires widely used by sex researchers (Sexual Inhibition and Excitation Scale, and Sociosexual Orientation Inventory Revised), and one scale designed to map broader motivations to avoid aversive outcomes and motivation to approach goal-oriented outcomes (Behavioral Inhibition and Activation Scale). Hypotheses: The authors expected partial or complete confirmation of previously found results (general and sexuality specific activation and inhibition and sociosexuality), and also that the replication will be affected by the sample choice Statistical analyses: To follow methodologies of previous studies used to create hypotheses the authors decided to use partial correlation controlling for age of the participants. Results: Generally, the chance sample findings resembled the published results whereas the stratified sample showed bigger differences. The results, relying on correlational analyses as majority of studies does, provided a valuable insight to impact of sampling on results. Using the SEM methodology the study provided further support for the incomparability of the results obtained employing different sampling. Limitations: The sample size, thus larger than usual studies, could be higher.
Humans infected by Toxoplasma gondii express no specific symptoms but manifest higher incidence of many diseases, disorders and differences in personality and behavior. The aim of this study was to compare the political beliefs and values of Toxoplasma-infected and Toxoplasma-free participants. We measured beliefs and values of 2315 responders via an online survey (477 Toxoplasma-infected) using the Political Beliefs and Values Inventory (PI34). This study showed Toxoplasma-infected and Toxoplasma-free participants of our cross-sectional study differed in three of four factors of PI34, scoring higher in Tribalism and lower in Cultural liberalism and Anti-Authoritarianism. We found sex differences in political beliefs associated with Toxoplasma infection. Infected women scored higher in tribalism and lower in cultural liberalism, compared with the Toxoplasma-free control group, while infected men scored higher in economic equity. These results fit with sexual differences in behavior and attitude observed after toxoplasmosis infection. Controlling for the effect of worse physical health and mental health had little impact, suggesting that impaired health did not cause these changes. Rather than adaptation to prevalence of parasites, as suggested by parasite-stress theory, the differences might be side-effects of long-term mild inflammatory reaction. However, to get clear picture of the mild inflammation effects, more research focused on different infectious diseases is needed.
- MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- osobnost MeSH
- průřezové studie MeSH
- sexuální chování MeSH
- Toxoplasma * MeSH
- toxoplazmóza * komplikace epidemiologie parazitologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
