Sexual consent perceptions of a fictional vignette: a latent growth curve model

Willis, M. and Jozkowski, K. N. (2022) Sexual consent perceptions of a fictional vignette: a latent growth curve model. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 51(2), pp. 797-809. (doi: 10.1007/s10508-021-02048-y) (PMID:34761343) (PMCID:PMC8888400)

Abstract

Sexual consent can be conceptualized as a process of accumulating cues that build toward and continue throughout a consensual sexual encounter. How people perceive the cues of others during this process is an important aspect of consent. However, previous research has not investigated the trajectories of people’s consent perceptions throughout such a process. Using a novel staggered vignette protocol, we examined participants’ (N = 1218; 64.4% female) perceptions of fictional targets’ sexual consent at 11 time points. We tested latent growth curve models using multilevel structural equation modeling to examine trajectories in consent perceptions over the course of the vignette. We hypothesized that mean differences and rates of change would be associated with several constructs relevant to sexual consent. We found that initial consent perceptions and trends over the course of the vignette varied by whether the participant was a university student, by an alcohol manipulation in the vignette, by the fictional target’s sex, and by type of sexual behavior. Researchers should examine whether our findings on consent perceptions of a fictional vignette extend to people’s actual sexual encounters, including potential associations between the three primary aspects of sexual consent: perceptions, feelings, and communication.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Willis, Dr Malachi
• Authors: Willis, M., and Jozkowski, K. N.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU
• Journal Name: Archives of Sexual Behavior
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 0004-0002
• ISSN (Online): 1573-2800
• Published Online: 10 November 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Archives of Sexual Behavior 51(2): 797-809
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence