Same-Sex Sexual Behavior in America

This study examines the relationship between same-sex sexual behavior and Age, Period, and Birth Cohort through an analysis of the General Social Survey (GSS). The GSS has undertaken 14 rounds of data collection between 1988 and 2010 in which questions on sexual behavior have been administered (n=33,212, 14,591 Males, 18,621 Females). Logistic regression models were employed in order to parse out the effects of Age, Period, and Birth Cohort, along with other explanatory variables, to...
More Description

This study examines the relationship between same-sex sexual behavior and Age, Period, and Birth Cohort through an analysis of the General Social Survey (GSS). The GSS has undertaken 14 rounds of data collection between 1988 and 2010 in which questions on sexual behavior have been administered (n=33,212, 14,591 Males, 18,621 Females). Logistic regression models were employed in order to parse out the effects of Age, Period, and Birth Cohort, along with other explanatory variables, to determine the likelihood of the reporting same-sex sexual behavior. It was found that among women, but not men, there is a significant birth cohort effect on same-sex sexual behavior. Among, men, but not women, there was significant period effect on same-sex sexual behavior in Time 3 of the study. Among both men and women, there was a significant curvilinear relationship between age and the reporting of same-sex sexual behavior. Shifts in cultural values and methodological issues may explain the birth cohort and period effects on same-sex sexual behavior. The idea of the "sexual narrative" is introduced to explain the curvilinear age effect on same-sex sexual behavior.