Bisexuality: Some Social Psychological Issues

TLDR

Data from other studies confirm bisexuality’s existence, yet it remains largely absent from mainstream sexuality science. The study aims to examine how bisexuality fits into respondents’ erotic careers, what factors lead to bisexual self‑identification, what circumstances foster bisexual development, and how the processes differ for males and females. The authors conducted an interview study with 156 men and women who have had more than incidental sexual experience with both genders. Findings indicate that bisexuality is integrated into erotic careers, with distinct factors, conducive circumstances, and gender‑specific pathways influencing its development.

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of our interview study with 156 men and women having a history of more than incidental sexual experience with both men and women. Data from other studies that point to the existence of bisexuality are reviewed and suggestions are made about why bisexuality has not been incorporated into scientific thinking about sexuality. Our study is described and some of the findings are presented to address the following questions: How does bisexuality fit into the erotic careers of respondents? What factors contribute to the adoption of bisexual self‐identification? What circumstances are conducive to the development of bisexuality in individuals? What are the differences between the processes of becoming a bisexual female and becoming a bisexual male?