Part I. Your Sexual Knowledge

When 2000 Americans were asked a series of questions about sexuality by the Kinsey Institute, only 45% of the respondents answered more than half the questions correctly. See how you do on this sample of true-or-false questions.


1. The average American first has sexual intercourse at about 16 or 17 years of age.
2. About 6 to 8 out of every 10 American women have masturbated.
3. Most women have orgasms from penile thrusting alone.
4. All men like large female breasts.
5. People usually lose interest in sexual activities after age 60.
6. Masturbation is physically harmful.
7. The average length of a man's erect penis is 5 to 7 inches.
8. Impotence usually cannot be treated successfully.
9. Petroleum jelly, Vaseline Intensive Care, and baby oil are not good lubricants to use with a diaphragm or condom.
10. Most women prefer a sexual partner who has a large penis.
11. A woman cannot get pregnant if she has sex during her menstrual period.
12. A woman cannot get pregnant if the man withdraws his penis before ejaculating.
Your Score:

Answers: 1. T;   2. T;   3. F ;   4. F;   5. F;    6. F ;   7. T;   8. F;   9. T ;   10. F;   11. F;   12. F

How well did you score? If you're not satisfied with your level of knowledge, consider checking your local library or bookstore for reputable self-help books about sexual functioning.


Part II. Your Sexual Attitudes

For each statement, select the response that most closely reflects your position.

1. Sex education encourages young people to have sex.
2. Homosexuality is a healthy, normal expression of sexuality.
3. Members of the other sex will think more highly of you if you remain mysterious.
4. It's better to wait until marriage to have sex.
5. Abortion should be a personal, private choice for a woman.
6. It's natural for men to have more sexual freedom than women.
7. Condoms should not be made available to teenagers.
8. Access to pornography should not be restricted for adults.
9. A woman who is raped usually does something to provoke it.
10. Contraception is the woman's responsibility.
11. Feminism has had a positive influence on society.
12. Masturbation is a healthy expression of sexuality.
13. I have many friends of the other sex.
14. Prostitution should be legalized.
15. Women use sex for love, men use love for sex.
16. Our society is too sexually permissive.
17. The man should be the undisputed head of the household.
18. Having sex just for pleasure is OK.
Your Score:

Scoring

Compare your score to the ratings below.

1-18 Traditional attitude about sexuality
19-36 Ambivalent or mixed attitude about sexuality
37-54 Open, progressive attitude about sexuality
PART I QUIZ SOURCE: Adapted from Reinisch, J. M., and R. Beasley. 1990. The Kinsey Institute New Report on Sex. New York: St. Martin's Press. Reprinted by permission of The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction, Inc.