Measures of IMplIcIt and explIcIt attItudes toward MaInstreaM and BdsM sexual terMs usIng the Irap and QuestIonnaIre wIth BdsM/fetIsh and student partIcIpants

The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) examines implicit attitudes through the measurement of response latencies. In this study, the IRAP was used to assess implicit attitudes toward “mainstream” sexual terms (e.g., Kissing) and “BDSM” terms (e.g., Bondage) among individuals reporting BDSM interests and among students who did not report such interests. A questionnaire was used to measure explicit attitudes toward the same sexual terms as well as self-reported sexual behaviors. Results showed that the Student group generally displayed pro-mainstream attitudes, while the BDSM group displayed pro-BDSM attitudes. These effects were mirrored in the questionnaire results, which provides support for the IRAP as a potentially useful tool in measuring participant attitudes toward complex sexual stimuli.